8^T. 






^*-lfTilW 





^ 



5emi 




QIIO 





IbXillDlllOll. 









©liiiWIliiiiiil. 



New Bedford Semi-Centcnntal Souvenir. 



Providence Belting €o. 



MflNUFHCTURERS ©F 



OAK-TANNED LEATHER BELTING 



Folded Twist Belting. 

Sole Manufacturers of the Folded 
Twist Belting. 




our^ace v icw oi our 

Capper Wire Sewed Oak 

Leather Belting. 



Water Proof 
Copper 
Wire 
Sewed 

Datber 
Belting 




Sectional View. All Sizes of Belts. 

OFFICK AND WORKS: 

Nos. 37 to 39 eharles Street, 

PROVIDENCE, R. I. 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



CIRCULATING LIBRARY. 



BOOK BINDERY. 



TJhe jCar^fesi ^ook Store 

...in... 

Oouth^ O astern ilfassachusetts 



J'illed with the... 

oCar^est 

and 

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of... 



BOOKS, STAT/ONERY 
PICTURES, MUSIO 



PE RIOD IOALS 
f PIOTURE MOULDINGS 



Jif.S. J^utchmson dc Co.j 



ARTISTS' MATERIALS 

IS THAT OF 

198-200^202 "Union St. 

9/ew Bedford, TT/ass. 



Reliable 
Insura nce 

GEO. N.ALDEN, 

Office, i^oom 205, 

Cor. William & Purchase Sts., New Bedford, Mass, 



COMPANIES REPRESENTED: 

Hartford Fire iMsui'uiicc i '>>.. Hartford. 

Connectkilt Fire liisuruuee ('0., Hartlnrd. 
Merchants Insurance Co.. I'rovidem r. 

Equitable Fire & Marine InN. ( " . l'r..M(l,]H 

Springtield Fire &■ Marine In- ' ■> . ^pin 

Insurance Co. of Nurtl] .\inri 1. a. Ili 



ime Insurance Co., New Vorli. 
Continental Ins. Co., New York. 

German American Ins. Co., New York. 

re Ins; Co., New York. 

.1 . New York. 
II' r I ,. . London. 
\ Mil I untile Ins. Co., London. 
III-. I 'I . Limited, London. 
I \ Miinicli Fire Ins. Co., Germany. 
chlmrg Mutual Fire Ins. Co., Fitchburg. 

Dorchester Mutual Fire Ins. Co., Neponset. 
New York Plate Glass Ins. Co., New York. 
Travelers Ins, Co., Hartford. 



business Soii'ciioct. 
jCosses iPromptly Adjusted and SPaid. 




HENRY P. WILLIS. 

Batter, and ...CORRECT... 

* * * furrier haberdasbery. 

SPECIALTIES :— EASTMAN KODAKS, PHOTOGRAPHIC 
SUPPLIES, MONARCH BICYCLES. 

13 PLEASANT STREET, New Bedford, Mass. 



II 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



l\/loRSE Twist J^rill a.o /\^achine (^o 

NEW BEDFORD, MASS., U. S. A. 



INCORPORATED 

J864 



E S. TABER, 



MANUFACTURERS OF 



Machinists' Tools, i:. 




§mn 



M 



L 



n 



CONTAINING 

A Review of the History of the City 



TOGETHER WITH 



Accounts of the Whale Fishery, the Early Industries, the Great 

Growth in the Cotton Manufacture and the Social 

and Economic Changes. 



ALSO 

PROGRAMME OF THE SEMI-CENTENNIAL EXERCISES, LIST OF COMMITTEES, 

ROUTES OF PROCESSIONS, LIST OF EXHIBITORS AT THE 

INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION, ETC. 



ILLLLSTI{/\TEI) IW OVEI^ 100 PHOTO- ENGKAVING5. 



EDITED BY 

ROBERT GRIEVE 

Author of ''An Illustrated History of Paivtucket, Central Falls and Vicinity" etc. 
Copyright 1897, by Journal ok Commerce Co. 



PUBLISHED BY THE 



Journal of Commerce Company ^^S^fcto"*'"^ 



PROVIDENCE, R. I., U. S. A. 



:T 21 1897 li 



^:^ '-i^ 



CONTENTS. 



O. Q. 



I.— New BedforIj — A Review of the Origin, Life and (irovvth of the City — Introductory 

II. — The Foun hng and Growth ok the City 

III. — Origin, Progress .and Decay of the Whale Fishery 

IV. — Social and Economic Conditions — The Changes of jiie Years 

V. — Manufacturing, Its Beginning, Growth and Development 

VI. — Gkowiti of the CoiTox AJanlmacturic 

VII.— Hanks and Bankin.,. 

VIII. — The City of To-D.\y — Points of Interfsi' — Public Imi'kon'e.mln is 

The French in New Bedford. 

The Semi-Centennial Celebration 



pages. 

1-3 

3^ 

6-9 

9-15 

15-18 

18-24 

24-29 

73-76 

63 

77-79 



Historic and Descriptive 


Articles. 






PAGE. 


Charles S. Ashley. . . 




76 


Armour & C.'s Bull 
William Baylies.... 
The A. L. Blackmer 


Company. . 


42 

44 

56 


Blossom Brothers . . . 




59 

45 

S5 

56 


I'.ra.lfor.l D.Tripp.. 





hapman. . . 
Mills 

. HaU-hSp, 



I ,'auk M. LJoUi;lass '. . . 39 

David DuH ivi Son 59 

I'ournier & Nicholson 84 

(lifford&Co.. 65 

( Ireene & Wood 60 

Mrs. Hetty Creen, Pedigree of 65 

Nathan P. Hayes 50 

Hedge, Lewis Manufacturing Co 81 

\V. S. Hill Electric Co .... ." 45 

Albert W. Holmes 54 

U.S. Hutchinson & Co So 

C. S. Jordan S2 

Stephen C. Lowe 62 

Mansion House 41 

Morse Twist Drill & Machine Co 17 

New Bedford C.as & Edison Light Co.. 36 

New Bedford Institution for .Savings..- 27 

New Bedford Rubber Co 64 

New Bedford Safe Deposit and Trust Co. 25 

\< w ^^.tK M.iikci 67 

WiHunii I . \\. 46 

S. ^. I'liii. .\ r.iMlhrr 33 

Th, l'.in|,.,uit Manufacturing. Co... .. 51 

Charles S. PaisK-r 37 

Parker House 43 

Frank R. Pease 72 

Philadelphia & Reading Coal X- Iron Co. 57 

Pope's Island Manufacturing Co.. 70 

William F. Potter & Co 55 

S. T. Rex S7 

Hon. George B. Richmond 32 

W. A. Robinson & Co 39 

Sanders it Barrows Clothing Co. 29 

Sanford S: Kcllcy 31 

Na.i. ' '. Slirniian ,V .Son ?.S 



E. & K.C. Terry S4 

Tichon& Foster 86 

Union .Street 34 

Wamsutta M ills i .S 

C. V. Wing (.S 

j. & W. R. Wing cV C 66 

"F. W. WentworlhCo 34 

List of Illustrations. 

Acushnet Mills 16 

Mayor Cli.nl' - \ I'l' ■■ 76 

William I'.i i II. 44 

Steamship W iM;. Mil l;.iNlh-, S 

Bennett Mills 19 

A. L. Blackmer Co.'s Specimens of 

Glassware 56 

Blossom Bros. Planing Mill 58 



11. E. Borden 

Boston Beef Co.'s Stores 

Charles O. Brightman's Building. 

F. S. Brightman's Building 

Bristol Mill 

Brooklawn Park 

Carriage Factory of George L. Brc 
Hon. Stephen A. Brownell, portr; 

Buttonwood Park 

Cape Verde Islands Packets 

E. T. Chapman, portrait and intc 

Citizens National Bank 



City Manufactii 



ng ' 



Mi 



ibia Spinning Mi 



A \'itw on County Street 

Court House 

Hon. W. W. Crapo, portrait 

Cununings Building 

Custom House 

Dartmouth Mills 

David Duff & Son, coal pockets 

Davis & Hatch Spice Co.'s Building. . . 
Benjamin Daws.,,, ,\ s,„,\ r,„il, lings . . 

George Delano' ^ s,,,,- i nl \\ ,,iks 

Denison, Plunnm , 1 ■ . '. \lilK 

E. M. Douglass- 11, ml; s1"1c 

Exhibition Building.: 

First National Bank 

Five Cents Savings Bank 

F'ournier & Nicholson's Planing Mill. .84, 

Gilford & Co., interior 

Greene & Wood's Lumber Yards and 

Docks 60, 

Grinnell Mill 

"The Hacienda" 

Hathaway Mills 

Nathan P. Hayes' Building and portrait 
Hedge, Lewis Manufacturing Co.'s 

plant and office 

1 1 igh .School 

W.' S. Hill Electric Co 

A. W. Holmes' Coal Yard 

Ilowland Mills 

1 1. S. 1 lulchinson S Co., interior 

C. S. Jordan's Photograph Gallery 

Lilirary, interior 

( )ld 'I .ongshoremen 



Mansion IIoum- 

Mas<uiic Building 

Merchants Bank 

Baik .M.,rning .Star— Hove 1 

Mor-e Twist Drills Machint 

Nc« Brdford G.1S S: Edi- 

Co.\ Works 



Nev 



south from Odd 

iring Co.'s Mills 

ci., interior 

sit & Trust Co.'s 



Dd.l 



P.lirp..i„. Mannfa.tunugCo 51-53 

Charles S. Paisler's Building 37 

Pease's Prescription Pharmacy, interior 72 
Philadelphia & Reading Coal and Iron 

Co.'s C^al Piers 57 



PAGES. 

'ierce Mills 18 

'ope's Island Manufacturing Co 70 

'"^1 "ll'ce 73 

'Ml ska Mills 15 

Vh,. F. Potter & Co.'s Building. 55 

'ublic Library io 

iew on Purchase Street 13 

. T. Rex's Stone Yard 87 

Ion. Geo. B. Richmond, portrait 32 

V. .\. R.ibinson & Co.'s Oil Works... 39 

iolch .Mills 17 

anders & Barrows Clothing Co., 



Sanford & Kelley 

I. C. Sherman & Son's Building 

Louis E. Shurtleff, interior 

Allen Smith, Jr. 's Stable 

The Stone Fleet 

Strange Forge Drill & Tool Co., i 
Taber, Read & Gardner, interior 

E. tS; K.C. 'Terry's Lumber Yard 

Bradford I). 'Tripp's Shoe RepairingShop 

I'nion Street, looking west 

Wamsutta Mills 

Water Front, from Coal Pier to Bridge 

F. W. Wentworth Co., interior 

Old Whalers 

Whitman Mill and Interiors 

C. E. Wing; interiors 68, 69 

j. & W. R. Wing & Co., interior a.id 

exterior 66 



Y. M. C. A. Buildinc 



List of Advertisers. 

v. AKlcn 



Aimwell .S,h,„,l, Miss M. K. Hinckley, 

principal I\ 

American .Supply C 88 

E. A. Bonneau : X 

II. T.Borden .\ 

Boston Engraving Co -\ I 

Brett & .Simpson \ II 

George L. Briggs \' 

Hiram Van Campen \ Co. \I 

L. B. Davis VII 

Driscoll, Chmch & Hall 88 

S. A. Dudley VI 

Easton & Burnliam Machine Co Sg 

lomathan Handy Co \ HI 

Grow & Hart VI 

Thomas Ilersom & Co \' 

II. E. Hicks .\ 

A. II. Ilowland \I 

llo.xie's Bicycle Agency. 1\ 

C. W. Hurll \I 

H. S. Hutchinson & Co I 

Kirby cS; Hicks .... .\ 

Morse -Twist Drill & Machine C., II 

New Bedford Brass Foundry I.X 

No.ining's \II 

S. S, Paine .V Bro Mil 

D. M. l'.<" .\ !■ No 



laoy . 



Pi>klMs\ llorslull.. 
Providence Belting Ci 
Dr. H. A. Razoux.. 
lames E. Reed 



.n & I-'. 



W: 



Weston C. \augluui, 

C. 11. Waite..; 

Henry P. Willis 

Wallace B. Wilson.. 
John A. Wood &• Co. 



NEW BEDrORD 

Sehi-Centennial Souvenir. 



New Bedford, Mass. 



1847 — OCTOBER — 1897. 



Price 25 Cents. 



Journal of Commerce go., Publishers. 

J. D. HALL, Pres. & Mgr. GEORGE A. WILSON, Treas. 
ROBERT GRIEVE, Sec. 

lot SABIN ST , PROVIDENCE, R. I. 

TO OUR READERS AND PATRONS. 

It has not been the object of the publishers of this 
Souvenir of New Bedford's Semi-Centennial to pre- 
sent at this time an elaborate or exhaustive history of 
the city, but rather to depict in as popular, graphic 
and comprehensive a manner as the circumstances 
would permit, the life and growth of the community. 
The time at our disposal has been so limited — the 
work on the publication having all been done since 
the first of September — that no great amount of elabo- 
ration or originality has been possible in the text, and 
the editor has, therefore, been compelled to cull from 
readily accessible sources the information and facts 
contained in these pages. Nevertheless, we feel 
confident that the summaries of the various phases of 
the history of the city here printed will afford a fairly 
accurate idea to the reader, at a slight cost of time 
and attention, of the salient features of the story of 
its development, and of the influences that have made 
the community what it is. 

The General Committee of the Semi-Centennial 
Celebration, on Aug. 23, voted to endorse and recognize 
this publication as the olTicial souvenir of the Celebra- 
tion, with the proviso that it be a creditable production. 
The publishers have lived up to this agreement, as 
the illustrations and text amply prove; but owing to a 
marked division of sentiment among the business men 
and the people of the city as to the wisdom of holding 
the Celebration at this time, they have not received 
the financial support that their own exertions, the 
excellence of the publication, or the importance of the 
occasion merited. Still, notwithstanding many dis- 
couragements, they have persevered, and with the 
assistance of the committee and the public-spirited 
men and firms, whose patronage they have recei\'ed, 
they have succeeded in producing the present book. 
With diffidence, but yet with a certain amount of 
confidence, they present this publication to the people 
of New Bedford and the friends of the city, with the 
hope that it will aid in some small measure in still 
further promoting the growth and progress of the city 
in all essentials. 

Journal of Commerce Co., 

Providence, R. I. 



NEW BEDFORD. 

A REVIEW OF THE ORIGIN, LIFE AND 
GROWTH OF THE CITY. 



Introductory. 

AT EW BEDFORD cannot trace her history back 
'tj N ^° '■^^ ^'^^^ settlements by the white men in 
New England, and cannot boast of an early 
colonial experience. Notwithstanding this lack of an 
historic background, the story of the evolution of the 
community has in it so many incidents and changes 
manifesting energy and resource, that it rivals in 
interest the narratives of many of the most noted 
of the old colonial towns and cities, and exceeds in 
attractiveness the majority of them. 

In a more perfect manner, probably, than any other 
American seaport, New Bedford connects the com- 
mercial era that, in its exclusive features, has passed 
away, with the manufacturing era that now is. These 
two great phases of industrial life have been mani- 
fested in her experience during the last fifty years, 
and she has thereby been— in a much greater degree 
than the majority of places in New England — an 
epitome of the industrial progress of the times. In 
these respects, because of the quick growth and rapid 
changes, the city has had some qualities in common 
with the new towns and cities of the West, which 
grow to large proportions in a few years. 

While the city cannot claim antiquity, her citizens 
have been markedly distinguished for the qualities 
that may almost be justly called "American," namely, 
courage to enter new fields and engage in new enter- 
prises, coupled with abounding vim, vigor and fertility 
of resource. 

Starting originally as a small fishing hamlet, on the 
shore of a primeval forest, a few years before the 
revolution, the place grew vigorously for a few years. 
Then the war wave swept over it and almost destroyed 
it. Slowly it revived, and after peace came, the village 
increased to such a size that in 1787 it was set off 
from the town of Dartmouth, and became an in- 
dependent town under its present name. From that 
time on it grew rapidly in importance, and became 
the greatest whaling port on the American continent. 
This business attained its maximum in 1857, when 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



New Bedford's fleet consisted uf 324 vessels, manned 
by 10,000 seamen and representing an invested capital 
of ^ 1 2,000,000. In addition, many industries having 
to do with making supplies for the ships or with the 
manufacture of oil, were carried on in the place. 

From 1857 the whale fishery began to decline in 
importance, so slowly at first as to be almost imper- 
ceptible. Meanwhile, however, ten years before — in 
1847 — the cotton manufacture had been started. 
Although no one then dreamed that such would be 
the fart, yet the event proved that this latter industry 



trolling business. Indeed, the city now ranks second 
in the United States as a cotton manufacturing centre, 
and is only exceeded in this line by Fall River. 

The progress and growth of New Bedford under 
these circumstances was phenomenal, and has not 
been rivalled by any Eastern city. With its main 
means of livelihood slowly dwindling in importance, 
instead of drifting into a condition of decay, as some 
of the old seaports have done, it sprang into a new life. 
Its citizens proved equal to the occasion, and turned 
what appeared to be a defeat into a \-ictnry. The 




NEW BHDFORD CITY HAI.l. 



was to take the 
mainstay of tht 



]ilacc ol the whale lislicry as the 
coiiimuiiity. Many ycais passed 
before this new state of things was realized. The 
new order of things indeed was working itself out 
without being perceived by many, but years elapsed 
before the adjustment was comjileted. The period 
during which this change took place may be said to 
have been from 1857 to 1880. The whale fishery 
steadily declined in importance ; manufacturing as 
steadily increased, especially after 1870. Now, in a 
very large measure, the whale lislicry is a thing of the 
past, and the cotton iiichislry has become the con- 



people of tJie city at the present day arc justified in 
feeling [)roiul of such an achievement, and the com- 
munity will be benefited and inspired by celebrating 
it. In 1847, at the height of her importance as a 
whaling port, and at the time when the first cotton mill 
was started, New Bedford was incorporated as a city. 
The celebration of the Semi-Centennial of this event 
in October of the present year will afford a splendid 
opportunity to commemorate and illustrate the dif- 
ferent phases of the unfolding of the life of the city, 
as here briefly outlined. The industrial, the social, 
the educational, and all other lines can be illustrated; 
the effect of thus dwelling on the past and present 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



achievements will be that a greater impetus will be 
given to all worthy endeavor in the direction of pro- 
gress ; the young will be inspired with a desire for 
emulation, and the whole community will be infused 
with new life. 



The Founding and Growth of the City. 

The founder of the original community, out of which 
the city of New Bedford ultimately developed, was 
Joseph Russell, who, about the middle of the last 



the industry started, Joseph Russell meanwhile carry- 
ing on his farm on the hill, from which a cart path 
led down to the wharves and try-works. As a part 
of his business he began the manufacture of candles 
from spermaceti, and it is claimed he was the first to 
engage in this industry. In consequence of Mr. 
Russell's enterprise, a little seaside hamlet gradually 
came into being, ancl other men of industry were 
soon attracted. The names of some of these pioneers 
that have come down to us are : John Loudon, a 
caulker ; Benjamin Taber, a boatbuilder and block- 




century, established himself on the shores of the 
Acushnet River, near the present foot of Union 
street. The land in the vicinity was covered with the 
primeval forest, and within the limits of the city of 
to-day there were no houses except those of the 
Russell family, in whose possession the territory had 
been for several generations. 

Joseph Russell engaged in the whale fishery. At 
that period whales were plentiful in near-by waters, 
and could be readily caught with small vessels and 
crude appliances. The blubber was cut up and 
brought ashore, where a try-works had been erected 
to care for it and extract the oil. In this primitive way 



Whaff. Whaling Barks Rouseau and Commodore Perry, 

lands Packets. 

Bark Mornrng Star— Hove Down. 

maker ; John Alden, a house carpenter ; Brazillai 
Myrick, a ship carpenter; Elnathan Sampson, a black- 
smith, and Gideon Mosher, a mechanic. 

The man, however, who is credited with having 
given the greatest impetus to the growth of the place 
was Joseph Rotch, who came to the shores of the 
Acushnet in 1765. He was possessed of some capi- 
tal, was a native of Nantucket, and had obtained some 
experience in the whale fishery in his native island, 
which was then the headquarters of that industry. 
He introduced better methods, and under his direc- 
tion, as well as influenced by his example, the fishery 
was gradually extended, industry increased, and the 



Mam Portion ol the Water Front, New Bedford Harbor, from the Pier ol 



little hamlet became a Hourishing and busy village. 
L'ntil after the arrival of Joseph Rotch from Nan- 
tucket the village had no name. This fact is in itself 
sufficient to show of what little importance the locality 
then was. Soon, however, with the increase in busi- 
ness and population the necessity of distinguishing 
the place from the rest of the town became apparent, 
and Joseph Rotch is said to have suggested the name 
"Bedford," in honor of the Russell family, who bore 
the same family name as the English Duke of Bed- 
ford. This name was accordingly adopted, and con- 
tinued in use until the incorporation of the town, 
when, to distinguish it from another place of the same 
name in the State, the word "New" was prefi.xed. 

The village of Bedford was within the limits of 
the old town of Dartmouth, which was incorporated 
in 1664, and included the present towns of Dart- 
mouth, Westport, Fairhaven, Acushnet, the city of 
New Hedfcird and a strip of Tiverton and Little 
Comptun, K. I. This region had been purchased 
from the Indians in 1652, on behalf of the Plymouth 
colony, by John Cooke and Kdward Wmslow, for 
"thirty yards of cloth, eight moose-skins, fifteen 
a.xes, fifteen hoes, fifteen pairs of breeches, eight 
blankets, two kettles, one clock, £2 in wampum, eight 
pair stockings, eight pair shoes, one iron pot, and ten 
shillings in another commndity." The deed was 
signed by Wamsutta, the son of Massasoit, chief of 
the Wampanoags, whose headquarters were near the 
present town of Warren, R. I., and who figures so 
consjMcuously in the accounts of the dealings of the 
first colonists with the Indians. Part of this territory 
had been apportioned to some of the first settlers of 
Plymouth by the general court as early as 1639, and 
Capt. Miles Standish had a right to a "plantation" 
here. I'"ew of the Pilgrims, however, removed to 
Dartmouth, but the settlers were mainly (Juakers 
and Baptist, who were able to influence the local 
legislation to such an extent "that the town, as a town, 
never once levied or paid a tax to support a preacher 
or to build a house of worship, or elected a preacher 
who would receive any part of his support from the 
public treasury." This is a notable record, in view of 



the fact that in the Old Colony and in Massachusetts 
there was a practical union between church and State, 
which, whatever its original justification, ultimately 
worked disaster and oppression. The inhabitants of 
the new village of Bedford were of this independ- 
ent, free thinking, freedom-loving class of people, and 
their influence on the development of the place was 
marked and salutary. 

From 1765 to the time of the Revolution the village 
grew rapidly for the times, and many people settled in 
the immediate vicinity. All this was changed by the 
war. The whale fishery was suspended; some of the 
merchants fitted out their vessels as privateers, and 
the harbor became a rendezvous for private armed ves- 
sels. Although the leading inhabitants, being Quakers, 
had not countenanced this, the British forces, in re- 
taliation, made a raid on the village Sept. 5th and 6th, 
1778. Major-General Grey, under orders from Sir 
Henry Clinton, landed at Clark's Cove on the after- 
noon of Sept. 5th, with between four and five thou.sand 
troops, which had been brought up the bay by the 
British frigate, "Carysfort," and several transports. 
Marching up the County road to the village, the 
troops there burned thirty-four vessels, ten dwelling 
houses and about twenty-five other buildings, and on 
their way killed three citizens — Abraham Russell, 
Thomas Cook and Diah Trafford. The troops then 
marched to the head of the inlet, through the present 
town of Acushnet, and down along the east side through 
Fairhaven, and re-embarked on their vessels from 
Sconticut Neck. The value of property destroyed 
on this raid amounted to ;f 96,980, about half a million 
dollars, which was a great sum for as poor a com- 
munity as Bedford then was. 

After the war the village of Bcdfonl iccovcrcd rap- 
idly from the great disaster of the iiritish raid, and 
increased to such an extent that, by an act passed 
Feb. 23, 1787, it was separated from the old town of 
Dartmouth, and started on its career as an independ- 
ent ]3olitical corporation, under the name of New 
Bedford. Its territory then included the present towns 
of 1-airhaven and Acushnet. 

l'"airhaven was incorporated as a separate town 




elphia &. Reading Coal &. Iron Co. to the Neighborhood of the Bridge. 



under an act passed Feb. 22, 1812, but it had long 
been a considerable village. In i860 the territory of 
Fairhaven was divided and the northern portion 
became the town of Acushnet, where a village had 
e.xisted by that name at the "Head of the River," half 
a century before New Bedford was founded. Oxford 
Village, on the east side of the river, just before and 
after the Revolution, rivaled Bedford in size and im- 
portance. The village of Bellville, on the west side, 
between Bedford and Acushnet, was likewise, at the 
same period, about the same size. Thus, there were 
five villages on the Acushnet River — Bedford, Fair- 
haven, Oxford, Acushnet and Bellville — all apparently 
with an equal chance in the race for supremacy. 
Bedford, however, proved to be the most favorably 
situated, and after the Revolution, steadily forged 
ahead. One circumstance that probably first gave 
]5edford village an advantage over its rivals was the 
fact that Joseph Rotch was unable to buy land on the 
water front in Fairhaven, and was consequently 
obliged to content himself with the ten acre lot he 
bought from Joseph Russell in 1765, on which he 
located, and thus all his capital and enterprise were 
centered in Bedford. This circumstance, combined 
with better natural opportunities, made Bedford the 
central place, and ultimately resulted in her becoming 
the metropolis of the region. 

The leading merchant in New Bedford at the be- 
ginning of the century was William Rotch, the son of 
Joseph Rotch. He had remained in Nantucket when 
his father located on the shores of the Acushnet in 
1765; from 1785 to 1793 he carried on his business at 
iJunkirk, France; but in 1795 he came to New Bedford. 
His son, William Rotch, Jr., continued the family busi- 
ness, and his son-in-law, Samuel Rodman, was also a 
whaling merchant. Among the conspicuous names 
in this line during the active period of the whale 
fishery, which followed in the next half century, were 
the Russells, the Howlands, the Hathaways, the 
Tuckers, many of whom amassed great wealth. 

The growth of New Bedford after the revolution is 
well illustrated by the statistics of the shipping in the 
vicinity in 1803. The total tonnage was 19,146, and 



the number of vessels were 59, all belonging in the 
town of New Bedford except four — two of which were 
owned in Westport and two in Dartmouth. At that 
date Fairhaven was included in New Bedford. Of 
the total number of vessels, 20 ships and 8 brigs be- 
longed in the village of New Bedford, and 12 ships 
and 9 brigs in Fairhaven. Of these, about 20 vessels 
were engaged in whaling and thirty as merchantmen 
or packets. New Bedford had the larger number of 
whaling craft, but Fairhaven was the port of the 
majority of the freighting vessels. Thus, both sides 
of the river were growing together at nearly an equal 
rate. After the division into two towns. New Bed- 
ford was but little larger than Fairhaven, and in 1820 
the population, respectively, was: New Bedford, 3,947; 
Fairhaven, 2,733. 

The war of 18 12 and the embargoes antecedent 
thereto crippled the commerce and fishery of the 
port, so that at times many vessels were laid up at 
the wharves inactive ; but with the close of the war 
a revival set in, which resulted in a constant and 
healthful growth. This growth was greatly acceler- 
ated between 1820 and 1830, owing to the noticeable 
increase in the demand for oil, resulting from the 
development of manufactures throughout New Eng- 
land, as a consequence of the introduction of the 
power loom, which rendered possible the rapid 
extension of the cotton and woolen industries. 
From 1830 until i860 the population increased 
at the rate of about 5,000 each decade. P'or 
the next decade it remained stationary — in fact, 
decreased slightly — but beginning with the erection 
of the fourth mill of the Wamsutta corporation in 
1868, there has been a constant increase at very much 
more than the old rate, and since 1880, with the 
multiplication of the cotton mills, the population has 
more than doubled. 

In 1847 the town of New Bedford was incorporated 
as a city, and on April 28 of the same year the first 
municipal government was inaugurated. 

The first mayor was Abraham Howland, who served 
four years— 1847-51. His successors in the oflRcehave 
been: William J. Rotch, 1852; Rodney French, 
1853-54; George Howland, Jr., 1855-56; George H. 
Dunbar, 1857-58; Willard Nye, 1859; Isaac C. Taber, 
1860-61, and to Sept. 29, 1862; George Howland, Jr., 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



1862 from Sept. 29, and 1863-65; John H. Perry, 
1866-67; Andrew G. Pierce, 1868-69; George B. Rich- 
mond, 1870-72; George H. Dunbar, 1873; George B. 
Richmond, 1874; Abraham H. Howland, Jr., 1875-76; 
Alanson Borden, 1877; George B. Richmond, 1878; 
William T. Soule, 1879-80; George Wilson, 18S1-84; 
Morgan Rotch, 1885-88; Walter Clifford, 1889-90; 
Charles S. Ashley, 1891-92; Jethro C. Brock, 1893; 
Stephen A. Brownell, 1894; Uavid L. Parker, 1895-96; 
Charles S. Ashley, 1897. 



Origin, Progress and Decay of the Whale 
Fishery, 

For the first hundred years of her history, the life 
of New Bedford depended uixin and centered around 
the whale fishery. Her citizens brought this hazardous 



real origin on the island of Nantucket. At first the 
whales were caught near the shores by primitive 
methods, and the "Off Shore" whaling continued to be 
followed until about the middle of the last century. 
As the whales became scarce or more timid, vessels 
were fitted out to pursue them to more distant waters, 
but the blubber was brought home and the oil ex- 
tracted in try works on shore. Larger vessels were 
built and more extended voyages made, as the fish- 
ermen gained in experience, until the Nantucket 
sailors had penetrated every sea. The island became 
the home of the whale fishery, and in 1775, 1 50 whalers 
sailed from the port, manned by 2,500 seamen. The 
War of the Revolution practically wiped out the 
business, but just previous to the war of 18 12, there 
were 40 ships from the island engaged in the fishery. 




occupation up to the |)i)siliini dI i ^icit n ition d m 
dustry. They developed the methods of citchin^ the 
gigantic mammals of the sea to a surprising pcitcc 
tion, and as a result secured great rewards and wide 
I mown in their chosen vocation. 

Whale fishing is said to have been piacliL'ed by the 
ancient Greeks and Phenicians. The Norsemen, the 
Danes, the inhabitants of the Low Countries and the 
natives of Great Britain engaged in the pursuit dur- 
ing the middle ages and in more recent limes. With- 
out doubt, some of the first white settlers in the New 
World had taken part in whale hunts off their native 
shores before coming to America, so that it is not 
surprising that in early Colonial times .some of the 
pioneers should have started this fishery. As early 
as 1640 whales were caught by the settlers off the 
shores of Long Island. 

The whale fishery in America had, however, its 



er, decreased 



■half b 



i)eace 



.tUUHl 



Ihe t\i erieiK-e and skill of the Nantucket whale- 
men were brought to New Bedford by Jo.seph and 
William Rotch, but the village on the Acushnet 
did not rival the island home of the fisheiy until after 
1812. After that period New Ik'dford became the 
leading whaling port, but Nantucket continued a very 
important port until between 1840 and 1850. In 1841 
the island had 100 ships manned by 4,000 men, and 
employing a capital of $9,000,000. 

The fisheiy is said to have been started in New 
Bedford about 1755 by Joseph Russell. Ten yearslater, 
at the time when Joseph Rotch arrived, the whaling 
lleet consisted of four small sloops of from 40 to 60 
tons burthen. Ai first it was only necessary to send 
the \-essels a little distance out into the sea. Gradu- 
ally the game disappeared from the near-by waters 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



7 



and could only be found in distant seas, so that a 
whaling voyage which, in the early times, had been an 
undertaking of a few days or weeks, finally consumed 
months or years. The staunch ships of New Bedford 
penetrated into every ocean. They went into the ice 
fields of the north; they rounded Cape Horn and the 
Cape of Good Hope, into the Pacific and Indian 
Oceans; they sailed into far southern latitudes, and 
found their way into every remote region of the 
globe. 

Since the beginning of the village many of the ves- 
sels hailing from the port have been built here. The 
first ship built was the "Dartmouth," launched in 1767. 
She belonged to Francis Rotch, son of Joseph, and 
her first voyage was to London, Eng., with a cargo 
of whale oil. She was one of the vessels from which 
the tea was thrown overboard in Boston harbor in 



New Bedford, with an average of a whaleship arriving 
every day in the year, was a busy seaport, whose life 
and character can hardly be realized to-day unless 
aided by an imagination instructed by the recitals of 
some of the old sailors or residents of that period. 

During the War of the Rebellion, the whaling 
interest suffered severely. The "Alabama" burned 
many whaling vessels in 1862, near the Azores, and 
other rebel cruisers added to the destruction at other 
times and places. The "Shenandoah," in June, 1S65, 
captured in Behring Straits 27 whaling vessels, burn- 
ing 24 of them, and of these 17 belonged in New 
Bedford. The loss to New Bedford was about a 
million and a half of dollars. A great disaster over- 
took the whaling fleet September, 1871, "when in a 
single day 33 ships were abandoned in the Arctic 
Ocean, hopelessly crushed or environed in the ice." 




VIEW OF NEW BEDFORD, LOOKING SOUTHWARD, FROM TOP OF ODD FELLOWS BUILDlNt 



1773. Her cargo consisted of 114 chests, or about 
one-third of the entire amount that the "Boston Tea 
Party" destroyed. The ship "Bedford," the property 
of Joseph Rotch, was the first American vessel to 
display the Stars and Stripes in Great Britain. She 
arrived in London, Feb. 23, 1783, the day of the sign- 
ing of the preliminary treaty of peace, with a cargo 
of 587 barrels of oil. 

New Bedford, with her admirable advantages as a 
port — a lengthy water front, deep water up to the 
wharves, and a commodious harbor, easily accessible 
at all conditions of wind and tide — ultimately ab- 
sorbed nearly all the whaling business on the Atlantic 
seaboard, until in 1857 her fleet consisted of 324 
vessels, worth more than $12,000,000 and requiring 
the service of over 10,000 seamen. In the decade 
from 1850 to i860 the business was at its height, and 



Of these vessels, 22 belonged in New Bedford, the 
loss on which, exclusive of oil and bone, was $1,090,- 
000. In 1876, 12 New Bedford ships were abandoned 
in the Arctic, entailing a loss of 50 lives and $660,000 
worth of property. August 3, 1888, five whalers were 
lost in a gale off Point Barrow in the Arctic Ocean, 
three of them being New Bedford ships, the loss on 
which was about $60,000. The most recent disaster 
was the loss of the steam whaling bark, "Navarch," 
in the ice, 120 miles northeast of Point Barrow, 
together with 35 of her crew, on July 29, 1897. 

About the year 1857 the whale fishery began to 
decline, but New Bedford has always continued to be 
the chief port. During the last fifteen or twenty 
years a considerable number of the New Bedford 
vessels, composing the North Pacific fleet, have been 
transferred to San PVancisco, and that port now 



8 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



rivals New Bedford. January i, 1897, the New Bed- 
ford whaling fleet consisted of 19 ships and barks, 
one brig and 12 schooners, of a tonnage of 6,410, 
while at the same date San Francisco had 21 steamers 
and barks and one schooner, of an aggregate tonnage 
of 6,49s. 

The constant and gradual decline of the whale 
fishery is due to two main causes, namely, the increas- 
ing scarcity of whales from year to year, necessitating 
\oyages into more remote seas at a largely increased 
cost, and the discovery of petroleum, the use of 
which supplanted whale oil for many purposes. The 
cost of securing whale oil was thus increased, while 
its price in the market was lowered, with the neces- 
sary result that capital found it unprofitable to con- 
tinue in the whale fishery. This movement was 




checked liy a fortuiuUe rise in the price of whalebone, 
which increased in market value seven or eight times 
its former figures. The price of sperm oil per gallon in 
1855 was ;^ 1. 77. and of whale oil 71 cents. In 1857 s]K'rin 
oil hr.-u-ht <;i.2S, and from that time until 1877, 
alth.nigh it llnctualcd considerably, it did n.)t fall 
below the dollar limit until 1878, when it averaged 
about 90 cents. Since then it has steadily declined, 
and during 1896 the average price was 40 cents. 
Whale oil has fluctuated in value very much less, as 
it averaged 35 cents a gallon in 1896. The price of 
whalebone in 1835 was 42 cents a iiound; in 1857, 97 
cents; in 1875,51.12, while in i89()its average ])rice 
was $3.95. 

The constant impro\emenls in the manufacture of 
mineral and vegetable oils during the last quarter of 
a century have resulted in the production of lubricat 
mg oils that take the place of sperm at a \ery much 



less cost. They do not wholly supplant sperm, but they 
have deposed it from its old place of sole prominence 
as a lubricator, a place it will never again fill. At the 
same time there will always be a considerable demand 
for it, and the whale fishery is not likely to wholly 
die out so long as a limited market remains for the 
oil, and there is a great demand for whalebone at the 
large prices that now prevail. 

In the common life of New England, New Bedford 
has always cut a much larger figure and has been 
much more widely known than other places of equal 
population and business. The young men from the 
remote farms, the rugged hillsides, the inland towns 
or cities, moved by a desire to see something of the 
world and its wonders, made their way to the wharves 
of the whaling city, and from thence set forth on 
their quest after adventure and 
fortune. That they did not 
always realize either, in the man- 
ner or in the degree that fancy 
led them to e.xpect, did not pre- 
\ent others from following in 
their footsteps. But the experi- 
ences they did achieve, although 
perhaps somewhat severe to 
most of those who ventured, still 
had elements of romance, especi- 
ally when viewed, seated in a 
pleasant home, through the haze 
of memory. Scarcely a place 
in the limits of the Atlantic sea- 
board but furnished, one or two 
generations ago, some adven- 
turous son, who either went by 
consent or ran away to New 
Bedford and shipped on a 
whaler. In how many books of 
biography and newspaper obitu- 
aries are accounts even now 
found of men who thus began 
" ^ life l)y shipping from the old 

whaling port ? l'>y how many cosy firesides, in lonely 
farm houses, in village homes, in city dwellings, 
have the seafaring adventures of friends and rela- 
tives been discussed, and with what all absorbed 
interest have the hearers followed the details of the 
narrative, especially if the narrator had himself been 
a participant, and possessed the sailor's usual gift of 
"spinning a yarn .'" 

Although New Bedford is shorn of her old glory 
as a port, her harbor presents many picturesque 
reminders of the past in the shape of old whaling 
ships, lying dismantled in the docks. Then, too, 
occasionally the din of the hammers of the ship car- 
penter and the caulker is heard on her wharves, when 
one of her small remaming fleet is being prepared for 
sea. But she has more than made up for her losses 
by the phenomenal growth of her manufactures ; her 
water front is dotted with vessels of a coastwise com- 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 




merce bringing supplies to her manufacturers, and 
she has taken a front rank as a textile manufacturing 
city, in this way sustaining her reputation as a leader 
in whatever she undertakes. 

♦The Stone Fleet. — So many whalers were obliged to tie up to 
the wharves at the beginning of the civil war, that when the Govern- 
ment wished to secure a number of vessels for the purpose of sinking 
them, loaded with stone, at the entrances to Southern harbors, the 
\ew Bedford merchants were willing to dispose of many of their 
ships at almost any price. Of the "Stone Fleet," of 45 vessels, that 
was used in this manner to blockade Southern ports, 24 were New 
Bedford crafts. The illustration of these vessels, shown on this page, 
was made from an old engraving, and represents the fleet in New 
Bedford lower harbor on Nov. 16, 1861, on the eve of sailing. About 
7,500 tons of stone were carried out by them from New Bedford, and 
most of them were sunk in the harbor of Charlestown, .i. C, and 
effectively blockaded thai i.uit al I'lrsi. In time, it is said, however, 
the effect was a decided l.lL-,xiiig t.. Charlestown, as the immense 
mass of stone formed a jctly, which directed the currents in such a 
manner as to form a much deeper and better channel than formerly. 
The list of vessels, and the order in which they appear in the engrav- 
ing, beginning at the left, is as follows; 

Bark "Garland," Capt. Rodney French, 243 tons, 190 tons stone; 
ship "Maria Theresa," Capt. T. S. Kailey, 330 tons, 320 tons stone; 
revenue cutter "Varina," Capt. Sands; bark "American," Capt. 
\V. A. Beard, 320 tons, 300 tons stone; pilot boats "Rescue" and 
"Richmond;" ship "Rebecca Simms," Capt. J. F. Willis, 400 tons, 
425 tons stone; bark "Harvest," Capt. W. W.Taylor, 314 tons, 400 
tons stone; bark "Leonidas," Capl. J. Rowland, 231 tons, 200 tons 
stone; bark "Amazon," (apt. J. S. Swift, 318 tons, 328 tons .stone; 
ship "South America," (\\y<. Havid (',. Chadwick, 646 tons, 550tons 
stone; pilot boat "KlT-ii: l,i-l. ■■Cossack," Capt. Childs, 250 
tons, 250 tons stone; ,liip ■ ■Ai. h. 1 , ' ' Capt. Worth, 321 tons, 280 
tons stone; pilot boat "\ i^iuil; " aliip "Courier," Capt. Shubael F. 
Brayton, 381 Ions, 350 tons stone; bark "Francis Henrietta," Capt. 
Michael Cumisky, 407 tons, 381 tons stone; ship "Potomac," Capt. 
Brown, 356 tons, 350 tons stone; ship "Kensington," Capt. B. F. Til- 
ton, 357 tons, 350 tons stone; bark "Herald," Capt. A. H. Gifford, 
274 tons, 240 tons stone; ship "L. C. Richmond," Capt. Malloy, 
341 tons, 300 tons stone. 

A second fleet of seven vessels sailed from New Bedford, Dec. 9, 
1S61, consisting cf the following vessels: Ships "America," Capt. 
Henry B. Chase; "William Lee," Capt. Horace A. Lake; barks 
"India," Capt. Avery F. Parker; "Mechanic," Capt. Archibald 
Baker, Jr.; "Valparaiso," Capt. William Wood; "Margaret Scott," 
Capt. Henry F. Tobey; "Majestic," Capt. Joseph Dimmick. 
2-W 



IV. 

Social and Economic Conditions — The 

Changes of the Years. 

The phases of life that have been presented in the 
experience of New Bedford have been so varied, that 
the social and human sides of her history have thereby 
many more points of interest than is usually the case 
with a small community situated away from the great 
main currents of the world's affairs. This was at 
first owing to the unique nature of the calling her 
people have depended on for their livelihood, which 
attracted men from all parts of the country and 
brought in men of all nations ; and, second, its con- 
tinuance is due to the fact that the rise of man- 
ufacturing by introducing again people of many 
nationalities has intermixed and superimposed other 
influences on the existing social peculiarities. 

"Going down to the sea in ships" brought to her 
inhabitants a wide knowledge of other countries and 
peoples, and contributed to make them broader in 
view, more tolerant in judgment and to give them a 
certain amount of culture. These characteristics 
were by no means at the same time found in the 
same degree in less favored communities. That this 
is not a fanciful assumption is borne out by the facts. 
The high character of many of her leading merchants 
and of her common citizens is well exhibited by the 
institutions they created, and by their life and works 
in many lines. 

The early inhabitants of New Bedford were Quak- 
ers. The Russells, the Rotchs, most of the leading 
merchants and many of the mechanics and permanent 
citizens were of this persuasion. The influence of 
the sect for a long time dominated the community; 
and the high standard of living enjoined, the austere 
manners inculcated, and the clear and wholesome 
views of doctrine taught, all contributed to give a 



10 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 




nounce that a very large 
number of fugitive 
slaves, aided by many 
of our most wealthy 
and respectable citi- 
jl zens, have left for Can- 
l| ada and parts unknown, 



1 ^Ninpathy 
lii\ prevails 
- class of our 



healthful tone to the Hfe of the conimunity, while the 
crudities and peculiarities in some particulars of the 
Friends were overconie by the wider experience of 
life brought to the community by commerce and the 
influx of new life. 

Tiie Quakers opposed slavery, they freed their own 
slaves abt)Ut the time of the rcnolution, and the New 

Bedford I>'riends were 

both theoretically and 
practically abolitionists in 
the middle years of the 
century, when they res- 
negroes and helped them 
to liberty by the clandes- 
tine means known by the 
nameof theUndergroun.l 
Railroad. Daniel Ricket- 
son says : " In the eaiiy 
years of the century theie 
was hardly a house in the 
])lace which had not given 
shelter and succor to a 
fugitive slave." The 
Fugitive Slave law passed 
in 1850 evidently had few 
supporters in New Bed- 
ford, as the following 
|)aragraph from the JAv- 
ciiry of April, 1851, indi- 
cates : 

'• ExTKADrnoN Kxtkaokih- 
NAKV.— We are pleased lo aii- 



Hon. Frederick 

Douglas.the great 
anti - slavery ora- 
tor, and the most 
eminent man the 
colored race has 
yet produced in 
this country, 
found refuge in 
New Bedford, 
where he worked 
as a mechanic, and 
laid the founda- 
tions of the edu- 
cation that after- 
wards enable d 
him toaccomplish 
so much for his 

people. 
\-S IIUILUING. ' ' ^ ,, ,, 

A contrast to the 

events and sentiments just recorded is presented 
by the scenes of dissipation that, during this same 
period, were happening in the lower part of the town. 
Like all seaports it had its dens of iniquity, and fre- 
quently outrages occurred. Incited by a murder 
which had been committed in the neighborhood, a 
mob of citizens, in v\ii";ust, i8j6, Inu'ned a numlier 




■.,\I)ING KOdM, I'fliLIC 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



U 



of houses tenanted by abandoned characters, at 
a locality known as "Hard Dig," on Kempton 
street, a little west of the present base ball park. The 
next night the mob burned "The Ark," an old whaler 
which was beached on the spot where Charles S. 
Paisler's brick building now stands on North Water 
street. A house had been built on the hull of the ves- 
sel, and it was a low resort of the worst possible 
character. 

A second "Ark" was soon after built, also on the 
hull of a whaler, and was located in the same neigh- 
borhood as the first had been. "It was occupied by 
the worst classes, and was the abode of debauchery 
and evil doing. Citizens were in dady fear, not only 
of their property hut of their lives. Any attempt to 



posed persons. Nor was this confined to Howland 
street for South Water street and other intersecting 
streets partook of the generally bad reputation. They 
abounded in dance halls, saloons, gambling dens 
and brothels. When our ships came in from their 
long voyages ^hese abodes of iniquity were in high 
carnival, fights and brawls were of frequent occur- 
rence, and it was dangerous to pass through this 
section after nightfall. It was no uncommon occur- 
rence for persons to be knocked down and robbed. 
Matters grew steadily worse and more uncontrollable, 
when a climax was reached in a murder." The rioters 
destroyed two houses by fire on that occasion, and 
effectually fiightened the degraded denizens of the 
neighborhood. 




COUNTY .STREET, 



•HE MAIN RESIDENCE 



banish the scourge failed, and it soon became evident 
that law was held in effectual defiance." When affairs 
had reached this pass, an organized band of disguised 
citizens took the matter up and burned the second 
"Ark" Aug. 27, 1829. Leading citizens, in order to 
prevent any further destruction of property by mob 
violence, organized a vigilance committee, which finally 
became the "Protecting Society," now the oldest part 
of the fire department. 

The Howland street riot occurred on the evening 
of April 19, 1856, and was similar in its intent and 
purpose to the "Ark" riots of 1826 and 1829. A 
murder had been committed in the south part of the 
city on Howland street. This neighborhood in the 
years previous, and especially at the time of the riot 
"was a noted resort for drunken sailors and evil dis- 



The life of the town in those days necessarily 
revolved around the whaling interest. The arrival 
of a whaler was always an interesting event. By a 
system of signals, the approach of an incoming ship 
was ascertained before it entered the bay. Boats 
immediately put out to meet the vessel, crowded with 
boarding-house keepers, ship agents and other inter- 
ested parties. On the wharf a crowd had collected 
by this time, as from the lookouts it had been definitely 
learned who the vessel belonged to, and its landing 
place therefore ascertained. Soon the ship was 
brought into the dock, tied up, and immediately the 
work of unloading the oil and stripping the vessel of 
her sails and outfit began. Meanwhile the sailors 
were the object of much solicitude to the various 
boarding-house keepers, especially if the voyage has 



J2 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 




,4 



MILM MI\sCHRI^II\N \ss()U\lIiNlllII)I\( 

been a successful one. In the palmy days of the 
fishery their revenues were large, as they not only 
l)oarded and lodged the seamen, but advanced money 
to them on their shares, and acted as shipping agents. 
The sharp practices of which this class were guilty 
gained for them the name of "sharkers" or "land 
sharks," con\eying the idea, which was unfortunately 
too often true, that the poor sailor was shown as little 
mercy by many of them on land as he would be by the 
" tiger of the sea" if at his mercy in the water. The 
manner of conducting a whalhig voyage was to give 
each participant a certain lay or share in the oil or 
bone obtained, in proportion to their rank or value of 
service. In addition to the scarcitv of whales and the 
introduction of petro- 
leum, other causes con- 
tributed to the decline 
of the business. Some 
of these are recountetl 
as follows by George 
F. Tucker, in his article 
on New Bedford, in the 
A'c'ci' Etiglaud Maga- 
zine for .September, 
1896: 

" Another cause of 
the decline was the de- 
terioration of the sea- 
men. The foremast 
liaml of fifty years ago 
was a farmer's boy. He 
carried homespun gar- 
ments, and was rarely 
the debtor of the shi|). 
I ic was ambitious to 
advance, and, if he 
never became a master, 
he was reasonably sure 
of becoming an officer. 
In later years an unre- 



liable element dominated the forecastle. There was 
baldly a sailor who was not a debtor of the ship for 
his outfit ; improvident and indifferent, he entered 
upon his labors with little of the zeal of his hardy 
predecessor." 

The American sailors, not finding the business 
ptofitable, sought other fields and occupations, and 
the crews of the whalers were either recruited from 
the class Mr. Tucker refers to, or were composed of 
men of other nationalities, content with small returns. 
The effect of all this was to bring about new social 
md industrial conditions. Many of the new sailors 
weie men of Portuguese descent, natives of the 
\zores, or Western Islands. They began to ship as 
sailors in the prosperous days of the fishery, and the 
ships still in commission are manned largely by them. 
At present the people of this nationality form a con- 
sideiable proportion of the population, and reside 
chiefly on South Water street and its neighborhood. 

While all these changes were taking place, the 
fundamental character of the people was finding ex- 
pression in the establishing of schools and institutions 
that aided materially in social growth. There were 
no public schools, e.xcept for the poor, until 1821, 
when action was taken that resulted in an excellent 
school system that was developed to a great degree 
of efficiency as the years passed. The High School 
was first opened June 11, 1827, and the present fine 
edifice was erected in 1876. The Friends' Academy, 
founded by William Rotch, dates from 1810, has al- 
ways been an excellent institution, and is now a day 
school for teaching boys and girls ancient and modern 
languages, matheniMtics, .md iiatui-.;! .md iinn.il s,-i- 




New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



J 3 



ence. The Swain Free School, started Oct. 25, 1882, 
in the Swain family mansion, bequeathed for that 
purpose by William W. Swain, is an excellent insti- 
tution for the teaching of the classics, history and 
literature. 

The " Aimwell " is an excellent private school, es- 
tablished in 1861, by Mrs. D. P. Knight. It is now 
conducted in the Young Men's Christian Association 
building, by Miss Mary R. Hinckley, who was a faith- 
ful and capable teacher in the public schools for 
many years. The school is easily accessible from 
every direction, and the surroundings, both within and 
without the building, are such as to directly aid in 
the moral and mental development of the pupils. 

One of the first organizations in the United States 
to engage scholarly and eminent men to lecture on 
literary and scientific subjects, 
was the New Bedford Lyceum, 
founded in 1828, and it continued 
to do so until the decadence of 
lyceum lecturing. 

The chief enterprise, however, 
that manifested the inclination 
and desire of the people of New 
Bedford for intellectual culture, 
was the establishing of the Free 
Public Library, by a city ordinance 
passed July 20, 1852. It was first 
opened to the public on March 3, 
1853, and was one of the first 
free public libraries in the United 
States. The library building 
was finished in 1857, and a large 
addition was completed and 
opened in 1886. From the opening 
of the library Robert C. Ingraham 
has been librarian. To his skill 
as an organizer and administrator, 
his acquirements as a scholar, and 
his thorough and comprehensive 
knowledge of the books in his care, 
much of the credit of the effectiveness of the library is 
due. The library has exercised a very potent influence 
on the life of the city, and has been, in the best sense, a 
dispenser of light, and a source of mental and moral 
growth. 

Organizations for benevolent and charitable work 
are numerous in New Bedford. One of the earliest 
and best known of these is the New Bedford Port 
Society established in 1830, which maintains a Bethel 
and a Seamen's Home on Second street. The New 
Bedford Ladies' City Mission originated in 1846 as a 
tract society, and for more than thirty years has main- 
tained a mission at the South Elnd on South Water 
street. 

The Union for Good Works was incorporated in 
1872 for the promotion of religious, educational and 
charitable purposes, and had commodious quarters in 
the Hicks Building on Purchase street, comprising a 



reading room with a good library, and an amusement 
room with suitable appliances for many kinds of 
games, until 1895, when it moved into a beautiful 
new building of its own on Market street, opposite 
the City Hall. The rooms here contain all the old time 
attractions and others in addition, and the association 
is also engaged in effective charitable work. The 
Orphan's Home, corner of Cove street and French 
avenue, at the southern extremity of the city, was 
established in 1843, and is supported by contributions 
and the income of invested funds. The Association 
for the Relief of Aged Women formed in 1866 for 
the purpose of affording "assistance and relief to 
respectable, aged American women," distributes 
several thousand dollars annually. The city has two 
excellent hospitals, St. Luke's on Fourth street, estab- 




VIEW ON PURCHASE STREET. 

lished in 1884; and St. Joseph's on Plea.sant street, 
started in 1872. They are both admirably conducted 
and the latter is under the control of the Sisters of 
Mercy. 

The Young Men's Christian Association of New 
Bedford was first organized in 185 1, but soon lapsed 
for lack of interest. It was revived in 1867, and since 
then has had a constant and prosperous existence. 
The present beautiful building of the association, cor- 
ner of William and Sixth streets, was erected in 
1 890- 1. 

The oldest church in New Bedford is the iMrst 
Congregational, originally an orthodox society that 
worshipped at Acushnet, but which became Unitarian 
early in the century. The present substantial stone 
edifice on Union street, near County, was erected in 
1838. Among the preachers of this church have been 
several eminent men. Dr. Samuel West was the minis- 



14 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



ter from 1760 to 1803, and in the latter years of his 
pastorate the church was removed to New Bedford. 
Orville Dewey was the minister from 1823 to 1834. 
Ralph Waldo Emerson supplied the pulpit for six 
months during Dr. Dewey's pastorate. John Weiss 
was the preacher from 1847 to 1858. William J. Potter 
was the minister from 1859 until his death a few years 
ago. He was a man of great intellectual powers, a 
true preacher of righteousness and truth, and his in- 
fluence and example on the community was marked 
and wholesome. The North Congregational Church, 
which is an orthodox body, is an offshoot of the First 
church, and the present stone edifice on Purchase 
street was erected in 1836. The Trinitarian Church 
is the child of the North Congregational, and its fine 
edifice on Fourth street was erected in i8gi. The 
pastor of this church is Matthew C. J ulien, an unusually 
powerful and eloquent preacher. The North Christian 
church, a large wooden building with pillars in front. 



their ideas, manners and modes of life differed in 
many particulars. These observations apply particu- 
larly to the English, Scotch and Irish immigrants, 
who formed the bulk of the original factory popula- 
tion. Hut if the points of difference between them 
and the natives were great, how much greater were 
they in the case of the F"rench Canadians and other 
peoples that speak a foreign language, who coming 
in at a later period than the first Pau'opean immigrants 
had little in common either with them or with the 
native inhabitants. 

Under such conditions it was difficult for the 
various elements of the population to understand 
each other. Timeand experience togetherhasbrought a 
measure of mutual comprehension, and allayed race and 
national prejudices. The freedom of political inter- 
course has also contributed to break down the barriers, 
and the new inhabitants have taken hold eagerly and 
hopefully in the struggles of our "fierce (but free) 
Democracy." They have thereby been educated, and 
ha\-e become good citizens, the equals of the old guard. 




W.^MSUTT.^ JIILLS. 



and a tall spire, is situated on Purchase street; it was 
erected in 1833, and is known as the "White House" 
from its color. One of the handsomest edifices in the 
city is Grace church, Episcopal, on County street, 
which was dedicated in 1881. The Methodists have 
eight churches, the Baptists have four, the Catholics 
have five — two English speaking, two P'rench and a 
Portuguese church. There are over thirty places of 
public worship in the city. The first building for wor- 
ship was the I-'riends' Meeting-liou.se, built in 1785, 
which gave place to the i^resent brick edifice, erected 
in 1826. 

The new population brought in by the increase of 
the cotton industry alter 1S70, found all these institu- 
tions and advantages ready to hand, and many 
made use of them. They used the library, joined the 
societies, united with the churches, and their children 
attended the schools. Hut still the new comers 
formed a class apart from the old inhabitants. 
Although the majority of them were of the same race 
and had inherited the same body of tradition as the 
city's people, they were natives of other countries and 



The result of the fraternizing that has by this means 
been brought about has been the dwindling of old pre- 
judices, and a greater tendency to accept each man for 
his "sense and worth" and not for his ancestry, his 
wealth or his connections. 

While in a large way this growth in understanding 
each other is an undeniable fact, yet the factory peo- 
ple have been to many of the old inhabitant an alien 
race, of whose life and struggles they knew as little 
as they did of those of the inhabitants of some far off 
country, for whom their sympathy might occasionally 
be excited by an act of oppression or a talc of wrong. 
In reality it was difficult for the well housed, cultured 
natives with their manifold advantages to' realize that 
the uncouth, poorly dressed and ignorant factory 
hands were human beings of like passions and aspira- 
tions with themselves, and that the differences were 
more superficial and apparent than real. This lesson 
has, however, been learned in the school of experience 
where so many that were first are now last and those 
that were last are first. 

In our country it has been said "there are only 
three generations from shirt sleeves to shirt sleeves." 
The ex|)eriences ot this community for the past quar- 
ter of a century gives color to this generalization, for 
the direction of the industrial energies has, with the 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



15 



growth of the city, passed in many instances into new 
hands. Many who were rich are now poor, and some 
who were poor are now rich. These results were 
accidental in numerous instances, poor investments 
being the cause in the one direction, and the rise in 
the value of land the means in the other. Yet thereby 
new social combinations have been evolved. New 
Bedford, on account of her varied industrial e.xperien- 
ces,has exhibited more social flux and reflux than most 
contemporary communities. The end is not yet ; but 
the changes that have taken place have made tor 
progress, and for a social structure adapted to the 
new conditions. 



rianufacturing, Its Beginning, Growth 
and Development. 

While the whale fishery for the first hundred years 
of her history was the main source of New Bedford's 
wealth, yet during this period progress was made in 



the first manufacturer, converting the blubber of the 
whales his little vessels had caught, into oil in his 
try works on shore. Joseph Russell also manufactured 
candles from spermaceti previous to the revolution, 
in a building which stood near the corner of Centre 
and Front streets, employing as superintendent a 
Capt. Chafee, at the then enormous salary of $500.00 
per annum. All the principal whaling merchants 
had their oil and candle factories. William Rotch & 
Son are said to have built the old " Marsh Candle 
Works," which occupied the site on which the gas 
works now stand, and where Francis Rotch and 
Charles W. Morgan subsequently carried on the manu- 
facture. The factory of Samuel Rodman was on the 
corner of Water and Rodman streets. Humphrey 
Hathaway and Isaac Howland, Jr., had factories on 
School street. John James Howland built candle 
works at the corner of Second and Middle streets, 
which were in operation as early as 181 5. The build- 



, :% 


L.. 


it ^^^Qftfei 


■11' ^""^^ 



POTOMSKA MILLS. 



developing various manufactures. The whale fishery 
necessarily attracted certain industries. Ships, boats 
and supplies were required, and the village which 
grew up around the wharves of Joseph Russell and 
Joseph Rotch was formed of mechanics and dealers 
who catered to these demands. Consequently the 
first inhabitants were shipbuilders, riggers, sailmakers, 
carpenters, blacksmiths, painters, boatbuilders, caulk- 
ers, coopers, blockmakers, rope and chainmakers, etc., 
and store keepers dealing in ship chandlery and sup- 
plies. Thus from the very beginning there was a great 
diversity of industry, — unusual for a community of 
its size, — the effect of which was to produce a readi- 
ness of resource and an adaptability among the 
inhabitants that enabled them and their descendants 
in after times, when necessity demanded, to turn their 
energies readily into other channels. 

The manufacture and refining of oil was the first 
industry carried on in an organized way, in factories, 
and has continued to the present one of the most 
important. The founder of the city was in reality 



ing, a substantial two story stone structure is still 
standing. For many years it was utilized as a soap 
factory by Otis Sisson and others, and is still the 
scene of that industry, under the management of 
Brett & Simpson. George Husseyand James Henry 
Howland established the factory at the Smoking 
Rocks, soon after the elder Mr. Howland had started 
his factory on Middle street. William W. Swain built 
a factory on the north side of Middle street. Andrew 
Robeson built a factory on Ray street, which subse- 
quently came into the possession of Edward Mott 
Robinson. George Howland had a factory on How- 
land's wharf and William T. Russell engaged in the 
manufacture on Third street. Charles W. Morgan 
carried on oil works on South Water street. One of 
the older factories was on First street, and was estab- 
lished by David Coffin. 

As the whaling business increased during the first 
quarter of the century the manufacture of oil and 
candles became specialized, and a number of factories 
were erected in what is now the central and south 



16 



New Bedford Se mi-Centennial Souvenir. 



parts of the city by firms which devoted their entire 
attention to this business. The largest oil refiner 
at the time when the whale fishery was at its 
height, was Samuel Leonard, who established the 
factory on Leonard street, east of Water street. Other 



factory on Prospect street, now conducted by George 
S. LL)mer A number of the old factories still e.xist 
in a dismantled condition, but the majority of them 
have been converted to other uses. 

The refining and distillation of coal oil was begun 




VIEW OF THE ACUSHNET AND HATHAWAY MILL.S FROM THE WATER FRON'l 



refiners who carried on large businesses were Nehe- 
miah Leonard, a brother of Samuel; Sydney Howland; 
George T. Baker, who established the factories now 
carried on by George Delanos' Sons, and W. A. 
Robinson & Co.; Cornelius Grinnell, who had a factory 



about the year 1857, by the New Bedford Coal (^il 
Co., the works of Joseph Ricketson being utilized for 
the purpose, and the claim has been made that petro- 
leum was first successfully refined in this establishment 
in i860, by Weston Howland, the secretary of the 



'f" 




1 J , ^ 


^J -J 


^jiiiT^^ MM 


^hIh 


^^^^^^KilLMi9i^fi,i\,iMM'M>i^ - ■ J^^^^^^l 


^^1 



\ ii':\\ (II- rill', \c I MiMi, iiA I I 

on the corner of l'"irst and South streets; Joseph 
Ricketson, who built a factory corner ni (Irinnell and 
First streets; Hastings & Co., with works on the 
wharf foot of (irinnell street, and which at one time 
was one of the largest fish oil refineries in the couii 
try; S. Thomas & Co., who built about 1855 the 



lany. He at 
ileum in the 



once began the manufacture of 

1(1 oil works on I'"ish Island, and 

arried on the industry for many years. A petroleum 

efinery was also erected at Willis Point at the north 

nd of the city. 

The cit)' still has a number of concerns engaged in 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



J7 



the refining of sperm and whale oil. 
These are George Delanos' Sons, W. A. 
Robinson & Co., George S. Homer, oil 
and candles, and William F. Nye, maker 
of sewing machine and watch and clock 
oils. 

A rope walk was in operation in the 
village previous to the revolution, but 
was burned by the British soldiers in 
1778. Probably another took its place 
after the war. The New Bedford Cord- 
age Co., which has remained until the 
present one of the leading industries, 
was established in 1842. Its plant now 
covers four acres in the west part of the 
city and employes about 250 hands. 

The Morse Twist Drill & Machine Co. 
is one of the largest industries, and to 
it belongs the credit of founding and 
developing the manufacture of the well 
known " Morse Twist Drill." 

Mr. S. A. Morse, the inventor of the 
" Morse Patent Straight-Lip Increase 
Twist Drill," in 1864, so interested some 
few of the New Bedford business men 
in his patents, that they organized a 
company for the purpose of manufactur- 
ing under these patents. A start was 
made with a capital stock of ^30,000, 
in a modest two-story wooden building, 
30 X 60. From year to year the business 
has steadily increased, and additions 
have been required to both capital and 
plant, until to-day, after a lapse of thirty- 
three years, the corporation has a capi- 
tal stock of $600,000, and its buildings 
cover nearly a square. 

The main building is of brick, three 
stories in height, 390 x 35, while the total 
floor area of all the buildings is nearly 
two acres. About 350 people are em- 
ployed. The reputation of the " Morse 
Drills " has not been confined to the 
United States, but a large export trade 
has been built up, and the goods go all 
over the world, being distributed through 
export merchants in this country, or 
through the agencies maintained in 
England, PVance, Germany and Austria. 
Mr. Edward S. Taber is president and 
treasurer, to which offices he was 
elected in 1868. 

The carriage manufacture was begun 
in New Bedford during the first quarter 
of the century. Among the pioneers 
of the industry were Ayres R. Marsh and 
Joseph Brownell, the father of J. 
Augustus Brownell, of the present firm 
of Brownell, Ashley & Co. George L. 




3-H 



18 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



Brownell started in business in the early forties. 
Other leading industries are the New Bedford Cop- 
per Co., incorporated in i860, and at present employ- 
ing 100 hands; the Pairpoint Manufacturing Co., 
silver plated ware and glass, established in 18S0, but 
which is also the owner of the Mount Washington 



VI. 

Growth of the Cotton Manufacture. 

The Wamsutta Mills. 

In the middle years of the century, when the 
whaling business was at its height, Thomas Bennett, 




Glass Works, started in 1869, the combined plants 
now employing 900 hands; Taber Art Co., dating 
from 1847, employing about 250 hands; New Bedford 
Iron Foundry established in 1847 ; Hathaway Soule & 
Harrington, shoe manufacturers, established in 1S65, 
and employing at present 300 hands. 



MILL OF THE PIERCE ^L\M■ lAClT' KING CO. 

Jr., a young man, a native of Fairhaven, who had had 
some experience in a cotton mill in the South, con- 
ceived the idea of establishing a cotton factory on 
his own account. He came to New Bedford in an 
endeavor to raise capital, and ultimately succeeded, 
mainly through the assistance of Joseph Grinnell, in 




The diveisilicd character of the city's industries can 
be realized by the enumeration of some of the princi- 
pal lines of work. Besides those mentioned there are 
boiler works, brass foundries, a rocket manufactory, 
candle and soap factories, picture frame shops, planing 
mills, boatbuilding yards, and other shops and indus- 
tries too numerous to mention in detail. 



organizing a comixiny. The task of getting the people 
of New Bedford interested in the enterprise was a 
difficult one, as a manufacturing enterprise of this 
description was entirely new to them, and they pre- 
ferred to continue along the lines to which they were 
accustomed. Most of the subscriptions to the stock 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



t9 



were obtained by Edward L. Baker. Nearly all the 
leading men took shares, but in small amounts. The 
principal stockholders were Gideon Rowland, Sylvia 
Ann Howland, Thomas Mandell, Ward M. Parker, 



Thomas Mandell, Joseph Delano and Pardon Tilling- 
hast. 

The first mill of the W'amsutta Corporation, a stone 
structure 212 by 70 feet, was commenced in 1847 and 




MILLS OF THE COLUMBIA SPINNING CO. 

David R. Greene, Latham Cross, and Grinnell, Min- started the next year. A second mill, a little larger 
turn & Co., of New York. The Massachusetts than the first, was erected in 1854, and a third, 
legislature granted a charter to the new corporation which was a duplicate of the second, was built in i860. 




i 



April 8, 1846, under the name of the Wamsutta Mills. 
The capital stock was $160,000. The first officers 
were: President, Joseph Grinnell; Treasurer, Edward 
L. Baker ; Directors, Joseph Grinnell, David R.Greene, 



LS OF THE BENNETT M.\NUFACTURINU CO. 

These three were all built of stone. A brick mill 
495 feet long by 75 feet wide, five stories high, was 
erected in 1868. In 1875 another brick mill was 
erected 433 by 93 feet, five stories in height. In 1882 



20 



New Bedford Semi-Centcnnial Souvenir. 



a mill 570 feet long 95 feet wide and three stories in 
height was put up, and in 1893, the last of the series, 
No. 7, which is however only a weaving mill and con- 
tains no preparatory machinery, was built. These 
seven mills are in one group on the shore of the Acush- 



consequently, justly be called the father of the cotton 
manufacture in New Bedford. Under Mr. Bennett's 
management nothing but sheetings were manufac- 
tured, and they held the first place in the market and 
commanded the highest price. Since that time, 



-mSsmffM^ii^MM. 







*';-C-i..V^:/5iif ^-fi ^*»^-c~w; 



net River, at the north part of the city, and at the while the Wamsutta sheetings are still standard goods, 

present time contain 230,000 spindles, 4,450 looms, in response to the demands of the jjeriod, cambrics, 

and give employment to 2,100 persons. The present lawns, and fancy cottons have been made in great 

capital is $3,000,000. The products manufactured variety. 

are fine and fancy cottons, sheetings and yarn. Mr. Bennett was succeeded as superintendent and 

From 1847 to 1874 Thomas Bennett, Jr., was the agent in 1S74 by lulward Kilburn, who held the posi- 

active manager of the Wamsutta Mills, first as super- tion until 1887. Then for a few months lulward R. 

intendent and then as superintendent and agent. He Milliken filled the oflice ; January, iSSS, William J. 




was a man of marked 
tinned success of the 
due to his enterprise. 



.\ecutive al)iht\ 
ictuie wa 
rhe mills made 



mil 



l^ MANl 

and thi 
very 1. 
money 



rgely 
from 

the start, and paid over 10 per cent, per annum (ni 
the invested capital during the entire ])eriod of Mr. 
Bennett's administration, while some of the new mills 
were in addition built out of the profits. He may, 



Kent became agent 


and held the pusitioii until his 


<lcath in the early pa 


t (if theiirescnt year. 


cirui 


K CirnO.N' .MILLS. 


JMom the time th 


^'V were started in 1847 until after 


the close of the war 


of the rebellion, the Wamsutta 


Mill made little impi 


ession on the life ol New Bedford. 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



21 



The cotton manufacture was a side issue industrially. 
The factory community was composed of an alien 
people and the factory settlement was in fact a place 
apart from the main portion of the city. Situated at 
the north end, remote from the business centre, its 
existence was hardly known to many of the inhabitants. 
With the erection of the fourth mill in 1868, a new 
era dawned. The business community and the capi- 
talists began to turn from the whale fishery, which 
had by that time experienced crushing blows from 
the competition of petroleum and the disasters of the 
war, and began to cast about for new avenues into 
which to direct their capital. After seeking invest- 
ments elsewhere, the example of the success that the 
Wamsutta Mills had made, finally led to the organiza- 



Wamsutta Mills; additions were subsequently made, 
and the plant now contains 100,000 spindles and 2,600 
looms, and employs 800 persons on fine cotton goods. 
In 1883, just south beyond the Potom.ska Mills the 
Acushnet Mill was erected, and in the spring of 1888 
another one was added, making the combined capacity 
about 105,000 spindles and 3,400 looms, giving employ- 
ment to 1,100 persons, and the production consists of 
a large variety of fine cottons. The New Bedford 
Manufacturing Company erected a mill in the central 
portion of the city in 1883, near the water front, for 
the manufacture of cotton yarns; another mill was 
erected in 1886, and both factories now contain 37,000 
spindles and employ 450 hands. In 1883, the Oneko 
woolen mill was erected at the North End, half a mile 




THE MAMMOTH FACTORY OF THE 

tion of another cotton manufacturing corporation, the 
Potomska Mills, in 187 1. A four story brick mill, 427 
X 92 feet, with a large weaving shed 108x97 feet, 
attached, was immediately erected at the extreme south 
end of the city. In 1877 a second mill was built, four 
stories in height, 348x92 feet. The total capacity of 
both mills is now 108,000 spindles and 2,700 looms, 
engaged in the manufacture of lawns, sateens, cre- 
tonnes, and print goods, and employing 1,300 opera- 
tives. The capital of the corporation is now $1,200,000. 
The years 188 1-3 witnessed what may with justice 
be called a boom in the cotton manufacture in New 
Bedford, the erection of new mills almost doubling 
the capacity, and putting the city in the front rank in 
this industry. Four mills were erected, three of them 
being very large. One of these mills was the Wam- 
sutta No. 6, built in 1882. The Grinnell Mill, a 
mammoth structure, 666 feet long by 98 feet wide and 
three stories in height, was built in 1882, near the 



beyond the Wamsutta Mills; its capacity is twelve 
sets of cards, sixty-three looms and 4,500 spindles, 
but it is at present idle. 

Another noticeable increase occurred in 1888-9. 1 he 
Howland Mills Corporation was organized in 188S, 
and erected a mill for the manufacture of yarn in the 
southwest part of the city overlooking Clark's Cove, 
on land that was practically a waste. A second mill 
was subsequently added, and the two now contain 
80,000 spindles and employs 1,100 hands. This corpo- 
ration erected a village of houses for its operatives 
adjoining the mills, and these tenements have all 
modern conveniences and are model dwellings. The 
City Manufacturing Company erected a yarn mill on 
the water front, at the foot of Grinnell Street, in 1888, 
and began manufacturing in December of that year ; 
the corporation erected another mill in 1892, and the 
present capacity of the plant is 65,000 spindles, giving 
employment to 650 person. December, 1888, the 



22 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenin 



Hathaway Manufacturing Company was organized the North lind; the first mill was built the same year 

for the manufacture of fine cotton cloth, and began and the other soon after and they are engaged in the 

the erection of a mill of 30,000 spindles just south of manufacture of high grade cotton yarns, contain 

the Acushnct Mills; additions and new mills have 85,000 spindles and employ 750 operatives. 




been erected at various times since then, and the 
cor]Joration now operates 100,000 spindles, 2,750 
looms, and employs 1,000 operatives. The Bennett 
Manufacturing Co., was organized in 1889, and now 
has two factories on Sawyer street, near the river, at 



Another boom in the cotton manutacture occurred 
in 1892. The Bristol Manufacturing Co. erected a 
mill on Coggeshall street, at the North luid, for the 
manufacture of ]irint and other narrow goods, 
and the factory now operates 50,000 spindles, 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



23 



1,400 looms and employs 550 persons. The Columbia 
Spinning Co. also erected a mill on Coggeshall 
street, for the production of high grade hosiery 
yarns, subsequently added another mill, and now oper- 
ates 50,000 spindles with 550 employees. The Pierce 
Manufacturing Co. erected a mill on Belleville avenue 
north of the Bristol Mill, for the production of fine 
cotton goods, and the plant now consists of 60,000 
spindles, 1,400 looms and gives employment to 575 
persons. The Rotch Spinning Co. erected two mills 
just north of the factories of the Rowland Mills Co., 
for the production of hosiery yarns, and the plant 
now consist of 50,000 spindles and employs 550 
persons. In addi- 
tion to the facto- 
ries erected by 
these four corpor- 
ations in 1892, the 
City Manufactur- 
ing Co. also erect- 
ed a mill. In 1895 
the Whitman Mill 
was erected on 
Riverside avenue, 
corner of Coftiii 
avenue, at the ex- 
treme North End 
of the city. It is 
one of the largest 
factories in the 
city, has 60,800 
spindles, 1,700 
looms, employs 
850 operatives and 
its product is cot- 
ton novelties. The 
mill of the Dart- 
mouth Manfactur- 
ing Co. was built 
on Cove street, 
adjoining the 
Hathaway Mill at 
the e.xtreme South mav iiiiu-Dkii sai-i-. ni.rosi 

luid in 1896, con- C nr. AcusIuki .\veni 

tains 60,000 spindles, 1,400 looms, employs 650 opera- 
tives, and produces fine cotton goods. 

New Bedford at the present time is only excelled 
by Fall River in the number of her cotton mills and 
the e.vtent of her cotton manufacture. She has dis- 
tanced the older cotton manufacturing cities, — Lowell, 
Lawrence and' Manchester,— which were leaders in 
this manufacture while she was still devoting her 
best energies to the whale fishery. To-day New 
Bedford in her 35 mills, owned by fifteen large corpo- 
rations, operates a million and a quarter spindles and 
about twenty-two thousand looms, giving employment 
to 13,000 persons and representing an invested capital 
of over g 1 3,000,000. The production of the New Bed- 
ford mills is of a high class, and a much greater 




variety of styles and fabrics in fancy and fine cottons 
is turned out than in Fall River, so that the city on 
the Acushnet is the leader in fine cotton cloths, pat- 
tern goods, specialties and novelties. Without doubt 
the rapid development of the cotton manufacture in 
New Bedford has been partly due to the favorable 
natural conditions here existing, as it is said by experts 
that the humidity of the atmosphere owing to the 
nearness of the sea, the influx of the Gulf Stream, and 
the protection from unfavorable winds, makes the 
spinning of fine yarns possible. 

The factories are chiefly located in two groups, one 
at the North End and the other at the extreme South 
End of the city, 
and the immediate 
neighborhood in 
each case forms a 
thickly populated 
community, with 
stores, churches, 
and a life of its 
own, that gives 
each vicinity a 
semi -independent 
character, while 
the central part of 
the city with its 
,L;reat stores, its 
halls, theatres and 
line modern build- 
ings forms the 
heart of the whole 
place. The cen- 
tral portion is the 
original city, as 
here the life of the 
community was 
wholly centered 
until the recent 
great growth of 
the cotton indus- 
try. When the first 
• AMI rivi^i 1.1. i;i 11 \'\\i. and second Wam- 

ami wiii,.'.m Mr,.i. sutta mllls wcrc 

the only cotton factories— before the war of the rebel- 
lion — the houses of the operatives formed practically a 
village by themselves at some distance from the city. 
Now the North End is, next to the central part, the 
most important section, and with its own retail and 
busines district forms a very busy community. The 
South End is not so extensive and busy as the North 
End, but it also has an important centralized life of 
its Ovvn. 

Between the centre of the city and the South End, 
along South Water street, is a region that in the busy 
whaling days was inhabited largely by Portuguese 
sailors and their families, from the Azores Islands. 
This neighborhood is still the home of these people 
and their descendants, and retains a somewhat foreign 



24 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 




language, and custom, but all domi- 
nated and controlled by the demo- 
cratic spirit of American institutions ; 
with such conditions and environ- 
ments, New Bedford has before her a 
potential future of great promise and 
hope. 

VII. 
Banks and Banking. 

The increase of the whaling busi- 
ness after the revolution made the 
establishing of a bank necessary in 
New ISedford, and to meet the de- 
mand the Bedford Bank was incor- 
porated in 1803 with a capital of 
$60,000, which was increased in 1804 
to 3150,000. In 1S12 the bank was 
suspended. I-~or the ne.\t four years 
there was no bank in the town, but 
in 1 816," the Bedford Commercial 
Bank was established with a capital 
of $100,000, which was increased in 
1 82 1 to $150,000, in 1825 to $250,000, 
in 1 83 1 to $400,000, and in 1851 to 
$600,000. December 19, 1864, the 
Bedford Commercial Bank was organ- 
ized as the National Bank of Com 
merce, and in 1874 the capital stock 
was increased to $1,000,000. The 



appearance. The city 
has a large population 
of colored people, the 
descendants of many 
negroes who found ref- 
uge here in ante-bellum 
days through the opera- 
tions of the Under- 
ground Railroad. They 
live chiefly in the west- 
ern part on the city 
on Kcnipton street and 
\icinity. 

W'itii a great variety 
ot industry brought to- 
gether by the energy 
and skill of its inhabi- 
tants ; with a cosmo- 
])olilan population 
gathered from the isles 
of the sea, from the 
centres of h'.uropean 
civilization, from the 
farms of Canada, and 
from all quarters of the 
globe; with many di- 
verse infiuenccs of race 




CUMMlNtiS liUILDING, SOUTHWEST CORNER OK WILLIAM AND PURCHASE STS. 
(Mechanics National Bank.) 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



25 




^600,000. It reorganized under the 
national bank law in 1864, and was 
the first bank in the city to do so, 
from which fact the present name of 
First National Bank was adopted. 
In i860 the capital was increased to 
$1,000,000, at which amount it now 
stands. 

The Citizens National Bank, now 
located at the corner of William and 
North Second streets, was incorpo- 
rated May 17, 1875, with a capital of 
$250,000, which was subsequently 
increased to $500,000. 



New Bedford Safe Deposit 
and Trust Co. 

The New Bedford Safe Deposit and 
Trust Company was incorporated by 
the legislature of 1887, with a capital 
stock of $100,000, and authority to 
increase to $500,000. Business was 
commenced in June, 1888. In Novem- 
ber of the same year the stockholders 
voted to increase the capital stock to 
$200,000. At that date the number 



FIRST NATIONAL BANK. 

bank building on North Water street 
was erected in 1883, and in 1894 the 
bank moved into its present commodi- 
ous quarters, in the Masonic Build- 
ing, Pleasant street. 

The next bank established was the 
Merchants, organized July 13, 1825, 
with a capital of $150,000, increased 
in 1828 to $250,000, in 1831 to $400, 
000, and in 1851 to $600,000. It was 
reorganized as the Merchants Na 
tional Bank Feb. 14, 1865, and in i8(»i 
the capital stock was increased to $1,- 
000,000. In 1893-4 the bank erected 
the present fine building it now occu- 
pies, corner of Purchase and William 
streets, on the site of Liberty Hall. 

The third bank organized was the 
Mechanics, incorporated Oct. 3, 183 1. 

It was reorganized as a state bank 
June 3, 1864. The original capital was 
$200,000, increased in 1854 to $600,000, 
at which amount it has since re- 
mained. In 1894 the bank removed 
to its new quarters, in the Cummings 
Building, southwest corner of Will- 
iams and Purchase streets. 

The Marine Bank was organized 
April 3, 1832, with a capital of $200,- 
000, increased in 1S33 to $300,000, 
in 1 85 1 to $500,000, and in 1855 to 




ii iiain 








New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



NEW BUILDIXG, 

of depositors was one hundieil 
and eighty-two and the deposits 
amounted to $150,000. At 
present the company has :i 
surplus of $27,000. The bank 
ing rooms are on the northeast 
corner of William street ami 
Acushnet avenue and the quar- 
ters are sumptuous and elegant 
in every respect. It provides 
means for the safe deposit nl 
any valuable article, it may be 
appointed trustee under an)' 
will or instrument creating a 
trust for the care and w:\" 
agcment of property, undci 
same circumstances, in \:" 
same manner, and subject to 
the same control by the court 
having jurisdiction of the same, 
as in the case of a legally quali- 
fied person. 

The company acts as an 
agent for any corporation, city, 
or town in issuing certificates 
of stock, bonds, or other evi- 
dences of indebtedness, and for 
the payment of dividends am 
interest thereon. It also acts 
as an agent in collecting and 
disbursing the income on any 
property which may be placed 
in its charge. 

In addition to the various 
departments of activity which 
ha\'e been enuniei'ated, the 



company also does a general banking business, precisely 
like that of a national bank, e.xcept that it issues no 
bank notes. Deposits of money are received payable 
by check on presentation, and interest is allowed on 
daily balances and credited monthly. Special rates of 
interest are allowed on time deposits. Notes are dis- 
counted and collections made the same as at any bank. 
The distinctive feature of this institution is its fine 
vault, which was built by the Hall Safe and Lock 
Company of Cincinnati, Ohio. It contains four hun- 
dred and eighty-nine small safes of various sizes, ranging 
from two and one-half by four and three-quarter inches 
to twenty by twenty-four inches. They are uniformly 
twenty-three inches deep. There are also storage 
rooms for pictures, silver ware, and jewelry. The 
officers of the institution are: president, John \V. Macom- 
ber; cashier, Edmund W. Bourne; directors, John W. 
Macomber, Rufus A. Soule, Benj. F. Brownell, Lot 
B. Bates, Stephen A. Brownell, Standish Bourne, 
Frederic Taber, Lemuel LeBaron Holmes, George C. 
Hatch, Charles S. Paisler, John A. Macomber, 2d, 
Joseph Poisson, Charles F. Cushing. 



'^M 




New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



27 




NEW BEDFORD INSTITUTION FOR SAVINGS. — I 

New Bedford Institution for Savings. 

The New Bedford Institution for Savings is one of 
tlTe oldest savings banks in the country and is only 
antedated in Massachusetts by two similar corpora- 
tions, the Provident Institution for Savings, which 
came into existence at Boston in 1816, and the Salem 
Savings bank, to which articles of incorporation were 
granted in 1818. It was incorpora- 
ted in 1825 and the charter con- 
tained the names of the following 
leading citizens: William Rotch, 
Jr., Gilbert Russell, Cornelius Grin- 
nell, Andrew Robeson, Haydcn 
Coggeshall, Benjamin Rodman, 
John Avery Parker, Eli Haskell, 
Richard Williams, George How- 
land, Joseph Bourne, Abraham 
Shearman, Jr., William W. Swain, 
Thomas Rotch, Thomas A.Greene, 
Charles W. Morgan, Samuel Rod- 
man, Jr., John B. Smith, William 
C. Nye, Thomas S. Swain, William 
H. Allen, Lemuel Williams, Jr, 
John Howland, Jr., Charles H. 
Warren, William P. Grinnell, Joseph 
Ricketson, 'Charles Grinnell, Na- 
than Bates, John Coggeshall, Jr., 
James Howland, 2d, and Gideon 
Howland. 

The aim of the institution as 
stated by the charter was "To 



provide a mode of en- 
abling industrious me- 
chanics, laborers, 
seamen, widows, minors 
and others in moderate 
circumstances to invest 
such part of their 
earnings or property as 
they can conveniently 
spare, in a manner 
which will afford them 
profit and security." 

The institution com- 
menced business on 
the second floor of the 
wooden building which 
still stands on Union 
street, near the north- 
east corner of Water 
street, the room being 
open and the treasurer 
in attendance on one 
day in the week. The 
tirst deposit was $50 in 
amount, and was made 
on Aug. 15, 1825, by 

USINESS DEPARTMENT. Rhoda E. Wood of 

Fairhaven. During the first two weeks ten others 
followed her excellent example, and gave into the 
care of the new institution 5950 in the aggregate. By 
Dec. 28, deposits amounting to $13,051 had been 
made by 145 persons. The population at that time 
was only about 5,000. 

The institution erected a building of its own on 




FOR SAVINGS. 



28 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



Water street in 1883, and occupied it from that time 
until the edifice on the corner of William and Second 
streets was finished m 1854. From that time until 
the present year, the last named structure was the 
home of the old institution. 

The deposits of the institution increased from 
^160,477.95 in 1830 to 5813,412,226.57 on July 17, 
1897, at a steady and uniform rate. This 
enormous increase finally rendered the build- 
ing on the corner of William and Second streets 



ornate architectural features. The facade on Union 
street is the most beautiful portion of the design and 
consists of a colonnade of six pure Corinthian columns, 
supported by an arcade of of three arches with mas- 
sive piers and crowned by a pediment which contains 
a sculptured group of three figures. The central 
figure represents the protecting spirit of the institu- 
tion. In her hands she bears the palm and cornuco- 
pia, emblems of success and prosperity, and her 
outspread wings on one hand overshadow the work- 




'^V 




Iff 



^t 






!i;;;l;iiiiiiisi'0nir[[[,„..^ 
miiLiii I y i m III 



inadc(|ualc for the needs of the institution. Accord- 
iugly at a special meeting of the trustees May 31, 
1895, it was voted to authorize the board of investment 
to purcha.se a lot at the southeast corner of I'ourth 
and Union streets, as a site for a new building. Ac- 
tion was at once taken, and a contract was made late 
in 1895, with !•:. Noyes Whitcomb & Co. of Boston 
to erect a building from the design submitted by 
Charles Brigham of Boston. The building was in 
process of construction during 1896, and was com- 
pleted and occupied by the institution June 28, 1897. 
The new structure is a striking and attractive 
building, massive and substantial in form. The design 
is somewhat severe, but it is relieved by a number of 



■ \V1I.LI.\M AM) PUKCHASE STREKrs. 

man at his anvil and on the other the widow and her 
child. This work of art is by Mr. Hugh Cairnes of 
lioston. 

The building is entirely isolated from all the sur- 
rounding structures, thus ensuring safety from fire 
and burglars. In shape it is rectangular; the frontage 
on Union street being 53 feet 8 inche.s, and the depth 
on Fourth street street 91 feet 9 inclies ; and the 
extreme height from the sidwalk is 58 feet. It is con- 
structed of stone from the Bedford quarries of Indiana. 
In its interior arrangements the building is admira- 
bly adapted to the requirements of the institution. 
The banking room occupies the greater portion of the 
interior, its dimensions being 48 feet in width by 53 



New Bedford Semi-Ccntennial Souvenir. 



29 



feet 6 inches in length, and 47 feet 6 inches in height, 
extending nearly to the roof. The walls are lined 
with Sienna marble to a height of about 16 feet in 
regular ashlar work, of absolute simplicity, devoid of 
all moulding or paneling, and above the ashlar are 
treated with a series of Corinthian pilasters, sym- 
metrically arranged and supporting a heavily paneled 
ceiling, whose deep compartments are richly though 
not profusely ornamented. Between these pilasters 
are the nine great circular-headed windows of the 
exterior, three on each of the principal sides, the 



and enclosure are the great safes or vaults of the in- 
stitution, and on the right hand, towards I-"ourth 
street, is conveniently located the treasurer's room. 
Adjoining it is a room for the president and board of 
investment, 14 feet 6 inches by 22 feet 8 inches, 
lighted from f'^ourth street, having a convenient 
dressing room and lavatory. 

The present officers are: president, William W. 
Crapo; vice-presidents, Edward D. Mandell and 
Horatio Hathaway; treasurer, Charles H. Pierce; 
assistant - treasurer, F. A. Washburn ; secretary, 
William G. Wood. 

The building is one of the best appointed banking 




IXTERIOK .s.\M.)EKS 



li.\KKUWS CLOTHING CO., MEKCH.VNT.S BANK 



fourth being treated in harmony. In the centre of 
the ceiling a rectangular dome terminates in a ceiling 
light of unusual dimensions, which, together with the 
nine large windows of the e.xterior walls amply lights 
every portion of the interior. A gallery with a wrought 
iron balustrade of light and delicate tracery extends 
all round the room and gives access to the various 
windows and to the balcony on the front. 

In the centre of the room is the counting house. 
At the various delivery openings are bronze screens 
or gates. The counter which surrounds the enclosure 
and the various tables and desks which constitute its 
furniture are of mahogany. At the rear of the room 



offices in the country. It is an object of interest to 
all, and affords a lesson in taste by its beauty and 
in thrift by its character. 



The New Bedford Five Cents Saving was incorpo- 
rated May 5, 1855, and the present fine building at 
IJ Purchase street wss erected in 1892. 

Sanders & Barrows Clothing Co. 

The business house of the Sanders & liarrows 
Clothing Co., which has now grown to be a modern 
emporium, was started in 1866 by William Sanders at 
108 Union street. Here it remained until 1878 when 
it was transferred into the Waite Block, William street. 



30 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir 



At that time a brother of the founder, Henry V. San- 
ders, was admitted to partnership, and this arrange- 
ment continued until iSSi, when he retired and Frank 
C. Barrows, who had long been a clerJv in the store, 
became a member of the iirm, which then assumed 
the style of Sanders & Barrows. 

The business continued to be carried on in the 
Waite Block until 1894, when it was removed into the 
handsome building of the Merchants Bank then just 
erected on the site of Liberty Hall. At that time 
the concern was incorporated under the name of the 



The present officers of the company are : William 
Sanders, treasurer and general manager; Frank C. 
Barrows, president ; John H. Barrows, clerk of the 
corporation ; directors — William Sanders, Frank C. 
l^arrows, John H. Barrows, E. H. Farr, all of New 
Bedford ; and Charles H. Chase, of Boston. 

Both Mr. Sanders and Mr. Barrows have been un- 
usually prominent in public affairs. The former 
represented New Bedford in the Legislature in 1879 
and 1880; was superintendent of city cemeteries for 
six years ; chairman of cemetery board for two years ; 




liKISTOL COUNTY COl'KT 

Sanders & Barrows Clothing Co., with a capital slock 
of $50,000. The new cjuarters were elegantly littcd 
up and at present compare favorably with those of 
any similar establishment in any leading city. The 
main store is 80 by 80 feet and is lighted on the 
front by three mammoth plate glass windows, and at 
the rear by a large skylight. The total floor area of 
the establishment including the basement, which is 
used for storage, is about 14,000 feet. A large stock 
of the best quality and style of men's, youths' and 
children's clothing, hats, caps, gentlemen's furnish- 
ings, underclothing, neckwear, etc., is constantly 
carried, and the reputation of the company for courtesy 
and fair dealing is unsurpassed. 



lOL-SK, 



N'rv 



KEE 



has been county commissioner suice 1S89 and chair- 
man for 1896 7. He was commander of the Xew 
l^cdford City Guards for ten years; is a veteran of the 
civil war, and a member of G. A. R. Post No. i. He 
is an Odd Fellow, and has been twice regent of Omega 
Council of the Royal Arcanum. He is an ardent 
member of the L. A. W. and has been a director of 
the Board of Trade for ten years. Mr. Barrows served 
as overseer of the poor for five years, was a member 
of the common council in i8go, and an alderman in 
1893-4. He is a Mason, an Odd Fellow, belongs to 
the Royal Arcanum, and is a member of the Dart- 
mouth and Union Clubs. He was a lieutenant in the 
New Bedford City Guards for a number of years. 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



31 




SANFORD & KELLEV, BANKERS. 

Sanford & Kelley. 

The leading private bankers in New Bedford are San- 
ford & Kelley, whose banking house is located in the 
new building at 21 
Pleasant street. The 
business was estab- 
lished in 1848 by Ed- 
ward L. Baker, who 
was a man of consider- 
able financial ability. 
He it was who dis- 
posed of the majority 
of the stock of the 
first Wamsutta cotton 
mill. Mr. Baker sold 
out to Samuel P. Burt, 
his confidential clerk, 
in 1865. In 1875, Mr. 
Burt took as partners, 
Gardner T. Sanford 
and Charles S. Kelley, 
under the firm name 
(if S. P. Burt & Co, 
Mr. Burt being located 
in Milwaukee, Wis. 
On the death of Mr. 
Burt in the West, in 
1884, the surviving 
partners formed the 



present firm. The house 
transacts a general invest- 
ment business, and has always 
had the confidence and patron- 
age of the leading New Bed- 
ford capitalists. A private 
wire connects the house with 
correspondents in Boston, and 
by this means telegraphic 
communication is maintained 
with New York, Philadelphia, 
Chicago, Providence, and 
other centres. The firm was 
the first in New Bedford to 
lease a private wire. Both 
Mr. Sanford and Mr. Kelley 
are members of the Boston 
Stock Exchange, and they are 
also stock auctioneers. 

P"or many years the bank- 
ing rooms were at 47 North 
Water street, in conveniently 
arranged and well appointed 
quarters. That neighborhood 
was then the financial centre 
of the city, and consequently 
the firm was withm its limits, 
and able to enjoy the advan- 
tages of being in the proper 
environment. But with the changes that the past few 
years have brought about, the re-location of the banks 
on the upper streets, the decadence of the fishery 




RELLEV — UA.XKI 



32 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



interest and the increased prominence of manufactur- 
ing, a new location became necessary. Accordingly, the 
members of the firm had the building they now occupy 
erected on their own specifications, by this plan se- 
curing offices in every way suitable for their business. 
The total dimensions of the new quarters, which 
are on the ground floor, are 50 x S3 feet, and the 
rooms consists of a main office, divided about equally 
between a reading and reception room for customers, 
and space reserved for the partners and the office 
force. In the rear of this main apartment is a large 
private olfice, and also 
toilet rooms and lavato- 
ries. A large plate glass 
window affords ample 
light at the front, while 
a skylight provides a 
natural illumination in 
the rear. The offices are 
fitted with excellent 
taste. The firm moved 
into these quarters Sep- 
tember 21, 1891. 

For some years San- 
ford & Kelley compiled 
and issued annually a 
little pocket compen- 
dium of about eighty 
pages, containing inter- 
esting statistics about 
the cotton and other 
manufactures, the cit} s 
finances, banks, popuLi 
tion, etc.; also a sum 
mary of thecity'shistoi) , 
paragraphs recounting 
the city's advantages, 
and many other mat- 
ters of interest. 'I'his 
was a very useful and 
handy book, and was a 
material help in advanc- 
ing the interest of the city 
book was in 1893, but an ab 
of sixteen pages, was issued in 




The last i 
idged form, 
896. 



of this 
booklet 



Oeorge li. Richmond. 

For many years, late in theOo's and early in thejo's 
the most conspicuous man in New Bedford was 
George B. Richmond. lie was a radical temperance 
man, believed in the suppression of the liquor traffic 
by political means, and showed his faith by his works 
in an effective way by organizing and leading those 
who agreed with him repeatedly to victory. He was 
the general in the great contests which raged during 
that period, and although repeatedly defeated he was 
five times elected mayor of the city on the temperance 
issue, and held the office in 1870, 1871, 1872, 1874 
and 1878. His admimstialion was aggressive, and 



the laws against liquor selling were probably better 
enforced under his direction than they had been up 
to that period or indeed have since been in any city 
in the commonwealth. In other respects his conduct 
of city affairs was highly satisfactory and painstaking 
and many improvements were carried out in street 
extensions, the building of schoolhouses, and in other 
respects. 

Mr. Richmond was born in New l^edford Nov. 9, 
1 82 1. He was educated at the Friends Academy, 
New Bedford, Pierce Academy, Middleboro, and spent 
two years at Brown Uni- 
versity, Providence, but 
was obliged to discon- 
tinue his studies on 
account of ill health. He 
then returned to New 
Bedford and engaged in 
business life. In 1851 
he was elected on the 
Whig ticket as a mem- 
ber of the state legisla- 
ture of 1852. May I, 
1 86 1, he was appointed 
inspector, weigher, 
gauger and measurer in 
the New Bedford Cus- 
tom house and held the 
office until he resigned 
in 1874. For some years 
'luring the seventies he 
was a member of the 
state police commisson. 
In 1 880- 1 he represented 
the third Bristol County 
district in the Massa- 
chusettt senate. In 
1883 he was appointed 
Registrar of Deeds for 
the Southern Bristol 
District, and this posi- 
tion he still holds, his 
office being in the Court House on County street. 
He has held many other official positions on com- 
missions, was long an active member of the state 
county, district and city Republican committees, has 
been connected with most of the leading charitable 
and beneficial institutions of the city, and has been 
in all ways a conscientious, iionest and public 
spirited citizen. 

Mr. Richmond has the honor at this celebration of 
the fiftieth year of the city's existence, of being the 
oldest living ex-mayor. His hearty approval and 
support of the work of the Semi-Centennial com 
mittee in bringing this matter to a successful 
issue, has very materially aided in the undertaking 
to make this celebration and the industrial exhibition 
that accompanies it, as perfect as any that have been 
held in New Jmi gland. 



iE B. KICHMONI 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



33 



George L. Brownell. 

The longest established and the largest carriage 
manufacturing business in New Bedford is conducted 
by George L. Brownell, in an extensive plant, corner 
of Cannon street and Acushnet avenue. A specialty 
is made of the manufacture of fine hearse's, coaches 
and undertaker's wagons, but light carriages of every 
description are also made. 

Mr. Brownell, who was born in Westport, began to 
learn the trade of a carriage maker in New Bedford 
when he was 17 years old, in the shop of Ayres R. 
Marsh. After completing his apprenticeship in 1843, he 
bought his employer's business. In 1846 increasing 
business led him to make extensive additions to his 
shop. In 1853 he built a new shop on Third street. 
About this time he commenced the manufacture of 



yard, the entire buildings covering an area of 17,160 
feet, and finally a warehouse was built on Acushnet 
avenue, 75 by 40 feet in area, and three stories high. 
The factory is now one of the largest in the country, 
and gives employment to between 50 and 100 men. 

The manufacturing plant covers an entire square, 
and comprises the factory, blacksmith's shop, wood- 
working department, painting and trimming depart- 
ments, and six large repositories, where a full assort- 
ment of hearses, undertakers' wagons, ambulances, 
and embalming buggies are constantly on hand. Mr. 
Brownell also deals in both heavy and light carriages, 
and has a large variety of second-hand hearses from 
which to make selections. The trade has been 
extensive throughout the New England and Middle 
States, and large shipments have also been made to 




fcl 



> ^-c^^- 



— ''''~'^TYr'f.. 7-; ' u^^f^^^^l^i^ 



'^si^ri'm?^'-' 







k.^ 



'"i 



,E L. L:K0\VXELL, 



hearses. In 1863 the business had increased to such an 
extent that further accommodations were required, and 
he bought the stone building at the corner of Third 
and Cannon streets, formerly occupied by Samuel 
Leonard & Son in the manufacture of oil. This 
building was refitted, and was ready for occupancy 
Nov. 12, 1863, on which date Mr. Brownell enter- 
tained 1,500 of his friends and fellow townsmen at a 
public dedication of the establishment. 

The original stone building is a two-and-a-half 
story structure of stone, 100 feet long by 60 wide. 
But the constant increase in the business soon ren- 
dered additional buildings necessary. First an addi- 
tion, two stories high and thirty feet wide was built, 
extending from the main structure, a distance of 130 
feet, on Cannon street. Then a second wing was 
built, and two large buildings were erected in the 

S-H 



foreign countries. Since the business was established, 
over $5,000,000 worth of carriages have been sold. 

Notwithstanding his advanced age, Mr. Brownell 
is still to be found at the works every day, giving his 
personal attention to the various details of the im- 
mense business. 

S. S. Paine & Brother. 

One of the oldest, if not indeed tlie very oldest 
merchant now engaged in business in New Bedford is 
Samuel S. Paine, the senior partner of the firm of S. 
S. Paine & Brother, dealers in brick, lime, cement 
and builders' materials. He is a native of Bristol, 
R. I., came to New Bedford in 1830 when a boy 
of 16, and went to work in a grocery store conducted 
by a man from his native place. Returning home in 
1833, he remained in Bristol a few months, working 



34 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 




in his father's store, but in response to the invitation 
of Captain John P. West, to whom his first employer 
had recommended him, he returned to New Bedford 
and became Captain West's clerk. This position he 
held for five years when Captain West took him into 
partnership, and the firm became known as West & 
Paine. In addition to the building material business 
they were also whaling merchants, and were agents 
for two vessels. About 1845 the partnership was 
dissolved, Captain West taking the whaling business 
as his share and Mr. Paine the building material busi- 
ness. In i860 Mr. Paine's younger brother, 
George W. Paine, became a partner, and 
the style of the firm thereafter was .S. .S. 
Paine & Brother. 

The business of the firm is now carricil 
on at the old location on Front street and 
connected with thejiremises is a commodi- 
ous dock and wharf. 

Mr. Paine is a man i>l ni:n kcd stiiMij;1li nl 
character, strictly honorable, consistent 
and upright in all his dealings, and lias 
always manifested the best traits of t la- 
New luigland Puritan, without the harsJi 
ness and sternness that are sometimes 
unjustly ascribed to that type. 



Acushnet River, 
Union street has 
been the centre of 
the business of the 
place. At first a 
cartpath leading 
from thefew houses 
on the hill to the 
shore, it became a 
village street lined 
with stores and 
shops. The houses 
of the leading mer- 
chants were on the 
ujijier parts of the 
street and their 
business places on 
the lower portions. 
The "P"our Cor- 
ners" at the inter- 
section of Union 
and Water streets, 
was in the early 
years of the century 
the centre of the 
town. The street 
still maintains 

ASANT STREET. "^"^^^ °^ ''^ °''' 

importance, and 
the illustration below shows its present appearance at 
the junction with Purchase and I-'ourth streets, which 
is now the centre of the city. 

The Masonic Building at the corner of Union and 
Pleasant streets, and the bank building of the New 
Bedford Institution for Savings, at the corner of 
Union and Purchase streets, are among the finest 
structures in the city. These, together with the Opera 
House and a few other new buildings, have very much 
improved the appearance of Union street, as well as 
enhancing the value of property. 





Inion Street. 




.Since the 
tablished 1 


lime wiien Jose])h 
iniself on the shores 


Russell 
of the 




New Bedford Semi-Centcnnial Souvenir. 



35 



F. W. Wentworth Co. 

One of the finest and best appointed of the first- 
class retail establishments in New Bedford is that of 
the F. W. Wentworth Co., occupying the first floor and 
basement of the Masonic building, corner of Union 
and Pleasant streets. The company carries a fine 
line of ready-made clothing of the very best grades, 
and is sole agent in New Bedford for Rogers, Peet & 
Co., whose reputation as makers of high-class and 
well fitting garments is not surpassed by any other 



agent for the celebrated and popular Dunlap hats. In 
the basement a trunk department is conducted, which 
is well stocked with a full line of ladies and gentle- 
men's trunks, hand bags, valises, dress suit cases, etc. 

The F. W. Wentworth Co. was established three 
years ago. With a new business, new goods, and new 
fi.vtures, it was the first tenant to occupy the quarters 
in the new Masonic building that are still the head- 
quarters of the company. 

From the first the business has been a success. 




INTERIOR OF THE F. W. WENTWOTII CO. 

M.isonic Building, corner of Union and Plcisanl Sir. 

house in the country. The store is divided into various 
departments. 

A special feature is made of children's garments, 
suits, overcoats, reefers, etc., and this department is 
very popular and does a large business. The men's 
furnishings department is stocked with the latest 
novelties for men's wear, including all varieties of 
underwear, shirts, hosiery, neckwear, etc., all of the 
best style and material. Special attention is paid to 
the hat department, in which the latest styles are 
constantly kept in stock, and the company is sole 



The policy of the house has always been to maintain 
a high standard, to carry the best goods obtainable, 
to sell strictly for one price, and money is cheerfully 
refunded when a customer is dissatisfied. By follow- 
ing these principles a constantly increasing trade has 
been secured, and the reputation of the house has 
thereby become firmly established for honorable and 
fair dealing. The company is incorporated under the 
laws of Massachusetts. F. W. Wentworth is presi- 
dent of the company and manager of the busines.s, 
and H. W. Wentworth is treasurer. 



36 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



New Bedford Gas and Edison Light Co. 

The New Bedford Gas Co. was incorporated in 1850, 
with a capital of ;^50,ooo under a charter granted by 
the state of Massachusetts. The principal projectors 
were a number of Philadelphia capitalists, but two 
well known New Bedford men were associated with 
them — Abraham Howland, first mayor of the city, and 
James B. Congdon, city clerk. In a short time the 
interests of the Philadelphia gentlemen were bought 
out by local cajMtalists, and a [lermanent organization 



their respective positions, Mr. Congdon until his 
death, and Mr. Taber resigned a year or two after his 
associate passed away. Gilbert Allen was elected to 
fill both positions and remained in office until i8go. 

The Gas Company having been granted permission 
by the State Gas Commission in March, 1888, to man- 
ufacture and sell electricity for light and power, it 
purchased the property of the New Bedford Electric 
Light Company, which was then furnishing arc lights 
to the city from a station at the foot of School street. 
To provide for this purchase and make subsequent 
improvements the capital stock was increased to 
$300,000. Four Westinghouse incandescent dynamos 




J 



was effected, with William C. Taber as president, 
and James B. Congdon as treasurer. 

The construction of a plant was at once begun, and 
on P'eb. 14, 1853, the works were completed and the 
gas turned on. As first erected the entire ]ilant 
occupied but a small part nl the present lucatinn, 
between Water .street and tiie harhoi-, at the font "f 
Madison, then called Bush street, and consisted of 
a brick retort house, a small gas holder of the capacity 
of 35,000 cubic feet, an office and a coal shed. Ad- 
ditions and enlargements lia\e been made until over 
four acres are occupied, and tiie storage capacity 
of the three holders is about 200,000 cubic feet, the 
annual sale being over 70,000,000 cubic feet. To 
meet these expenditures the capital stock was 
gradually increased up to the year 1888 to S225.000. 

l'\)r o\er 30 years Messrs. Congdon and Taber lield 



of a capacity of 2,600 lamps of i6-candle power were 
added to the plant a few )'ears after the (ias Company 

At this time, however the Gas Comimny had a rival 
in the electric lighting field. The l^dison Electric 
Light Co., organized in 1884 on the basis of a capital of 
;$ 100,000, began the construction of a two story brick 
building on Middle street, Oct. 9, 1885, and the plant 
was started Jan. 28, 1886. The plant consisted of a 
150 and an 80 horse power engine, two 100 horse 
power boilers, two number 20 Edison incandescent 
dynamos and two number 8 dynamos, with a capacity 
of 2,400 i6-candlc power lights. About 600 lights 
were wired for when the current was turned on. 

Afterwards the plant was increased by four number 
20 dynamos and two number 32 dynamos, increasing 
the lighting capacity to 10,500 lamps. 

The consolidation of the New Bedford Electric Light 
Co. with the Gas Company had been strongly opposed 
at the |)nl)lic hearings by the lidison Electric Light 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



37 



Co. Notwithstanding this business antagonism how- 
ever, the inevitable trend of circumstances, brought 
about in i8go, the union of all the gas and electric 
light interests in one organization under the name of 
the New Bedford Gas and Edison Light Co. 

In the fall of 1894 the generating plant of the Mid- 
dle street station was abandoned, and the apparatus 
removed to the new electric light station on Coffin 
street, a brick building iS6.\75 feet, containing seven 
boilers and five engines, with a total horse power of 
1575. There are also 17 dynamos with a capacity of 
nearly 20,000 i6-candle power lamps. There are now 
installed about 12,500 Edison and 7800 VVestinghouse 



Charles S. Paisler. 

One of the best known and most public-spirited 
men in New Bedford, is Charles S. Paisler. He 
carries on a large business in building material, 
lime, brick, cement, etc., at 160 North Water 
street. The business was started in 1853, and Mr. 
Paisler became the owner in 1876, when he pur- 
chased it from Charles M. Pierce, Jr., whose head- 
cjuarters were on the other side of North Water 
street, directly across from the present loca- 




CHAS. S. PAISLER S OFFICE AND STORAGE PLANT, 
160 North Water Street. 



i6-candle power lamp.s. About 300 horse power of 
motors are also supplied by the company. In 1891 
the company installed a water gas plant at their works. 
This plant has_a capacity of about 300,000 feet per day. 

New Bedford's streets are now lighted by about 
525 gas lamps, 200 arc lamps and several circuits of 
incandescent lamps furnished by this comi)any, which 
also supplies F"airhaven with 85 electric lights for the 
streets; the public buildings and many residences are 
also lighted from this company's works. 

The offices of the company are at the former head- 
quarters of the Edison Electric Co. on Middle street. 
The present officers of the company are: president, 
George R. Stetson; treasurer and clerk, Charles R. 
Price; directors, Gilbert Allen, Horatio Hathaway, 
Horace G. Howland, David B. Kempton, George E. 
Kingman, Thomas H. Knowles, John P. Knowles, Jr., 
Charles H. Lawton, John W. Macomber, Andrew G. 
Pierce, Charles R. Price, George R. Stetson, Frederick 
Taber. The capital stock of the company is $550,000. 



tion. Mr. Paisler erected in 1876 the present 
commodious two-story brick building he occupies. 
It is very favorably situated, being directly on the 
harbor in the rear, and the materials are received 
both by rail and vessel. Mr. Paisler has been 
awarded some of the largest contracts in the city for 
building material, among which the following are some 
of the most important, viz. : the High School building, 
all the Grammar School buildings, the F"ire Depart- 
ment engine houses, fifteen of the large cotton mills 
erected during the past ten years, the Odd Eellows' 
building, Grace Church, St. Lawrence Church, the 
Eive Cent Savings Bank building, the Citizens Bank 
building, Gushing building, the building for the 
Union for Good Work, and many others. Mr. Paisler 
is a popular citizen, takes a great interest in public 
affairs, and is a very genial and pleasant gentleman. 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Sc 




Oeorse Delano's Sons. 

The oil leliiiery of (ieorgc Delano's Sons, 
corner of South antl South Second streets, is 
the most important inilustrial plants in New ]> 
The buildings cover nearly two acres of land, 
the busy season forty-five men are em- 
ployed. The business is one of the 
oldest in the city, and the refinery is 
among the largest of its kind in the 
country. It was first started by George 
T. leaker, subsequently passed into the 
hands of Oliver and George O. Crocker, 
and about 1850 became the property of 
Charles H. Leonard. Geori^c Delano 
entered the employ of Mr. Leonard in 
185s, and on January 1, iS6ij, became 
the owner of the business. He was suc- 
ceeded in 1884 by his sons, Stephen C. 
L. and James Delano, who have since 
conducted the plant under the present 
name. The concern has an office and 
salesroom at 176 ]'"ront street, New 
York. The firm manufactures sperm, 
whale, sea elephant, fish, and cotton seed 
oils, patent and paraffine wa.\ candles, 
s])ermaceti, whale and fish oil pressings, 
and sperm and whale oil .soap. All crude 
oils are worked out to definite results at 
the factory, and the pindncl is shipped 
to every part of the world. 

Isaac C. Sherman & Son. 

in the sale ot fruits and pioducc in New 
Hedford is that of Messrs. Isaac C. Shci- 



at the 



man & Son, whose 
senior partner es- 
tablished the busi- 
ness as long ago as 
the year 1847. He 
admitted his son, 
Mr. hid ward D. 
Sherman to part- 
nershi[) in 1876, 
when the firm 
assumed its present 
name. The large 
four story building 
at 70 to 76 L'nion 
street, is with the 
exception of the 
upper story, all uti- 
lized in the busi- 
ness, the first floor 
for a salesroom and 
office, the second 
floor entirely for 
bananas, of which 
this firm makes a 
specialty, handling 
so sLcoNnsiRLiis th^ 'Boston Fruit 

Co. s account for 
this city; and the third story and basement for storage 
puipose. An elevator connects the various floors. A 
\ ery large stock of foreign and domestic fruits and pro- 
duce is constantly kept on hand. This house is always 
prepared to supply the trade at the lowest market rates^ 




•;KM.\.N -t .SON .S WHOLESALE FKUIT HOL'.SE, 
70 TO 76 Union Street. 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



39 




W. A. KOniXSOX .t L(l, S OIL WORKS, Sci . 

and numbers among its regular customers the leading 
retail dealers in the city, while its country trade also 
forms a material factor of the general business. By 
strict attention to business aided by their experience, 
enterprise, and integrity, both partners fully justify 
the unanimous opmion of their reliability and trust- 
worthiness which is held concerning them. Mr. Isaac 
C. Sherman was born in Rochester, Mass., while his 
son and copartner first saw the light in New Bedford. 

Frank M. Douglass. 

Frank M. Douglass, the proprietor of the centrally 
located drug store, on the south-east cciiki of riltli 
and Union streets, was born in 
New Bedford in 1854. He received 
his education in the public schools, 
and at the age of 14 began to 
learn the business of an apothecary 
with Klisha Thornton, Jr. After 
comj^leting his apprenticeship he 
went to Boston, and worked in the 
drug store of II. A. Choate, unilci- 
the Revere House. Returning to 
New Bedford, he was employed by 
Wm. P. S. Cadwell and his succes- 
sor, JM-ank R. lladley, ui) to 18.S2, 
at which time he purchased from 
H. W. Parker his present store. 
This was an old stand as a drug 
store, and Mr. Douglass has maile 
a great success of the business. 
He carries a first-class line of 
drugs, medicines, toilet and fancy 
articles; carefully compounds pre- 
scriptions, and is favored with a 
first-class trade. 



W. A. Robinson & Co. 

W. A. Robinson & 
Co. are among the larg- 
est refiners of Sperm 
and Whale Oil in this 
country. This firm was 
established in Rhode 
Island in 1829, but 
transferred its business 
to New Bedford in 
1853. In 1863 the firm 
moved to the stone fac- 
tory it now occupies. 
No. 144 South Water 
street, which it has 
occupied for 34 years. 
The main building is 
two stories high, with 
a frontage of 40 feet 
on Water street. It is 
connected with smaller 
buildings of brick and 
\i>iiiixi -iKiii^ stone, extending to 

Front street, a distance 
01240 feet. There are large sheds for storing oil on Wal- 
nut street, south of the factory buildings. The build- 
ings are lighted by gas and heated by steam, and em- 
ployment is given to fifteen or twenty hands. The 
manufacture and sale of Sperm and Whale Oils and 
their products is the principal business, although the 
firm deals largely in other oils. 



The sons of New Bedford made the whale fishing a 
great business — gave to it a national importance — and 
when that occupation failed through natural causes 
and changes in industrial conditions, they branched 
out as manufacturers, and, in the course of two de- 
cades, such was their energy that as a manufacturing 
(cntrc the city lias .|uiJ<I\' ciiiiii- t.i tlic fiMut rank. 




)LIGLASS, COK. 1-IKTH AND UNION STREETS. 



40 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



4^ 




WORKS OF MORSE TWIST DRILL AND MACHINE CO. 
FOURTH AND WING STREETS. 



m 






Mrmitmy>-«Hini'lilH iiwi iwiiPiyiiiiiiiiMiii 

1 




MORSE TWIbf DRiLL AND MACHINE CO.'S EXHIBIT AT WORLDS FAIR, CHICAGO. 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



At 




MANSION HOUSE, UNION STREET. 



The Mansion House. 

The well known hotel, the Mansion House, corner 
of Union and Second streets was originally the resi- 
dence of William Rotch, and was erected early in the 
century. It was opened as a hotel, Dec. i8, 1828, 
by J. Webster. Louis Boutelle conducted it for many 
years. A large addition was made to the north end 
in 1887, and in 1891, extensive alterations were made 
in the interior of the hotel, connecting it with the 
building just east which now 
forms part of it. 

Mr. C. W. Ripley became 
proprietor in 18S5, and 
conducted the house for a 
number of years. He was 
succeeded by F. B. Carr, who 
in turn was succeeded by the 
present proprietors, Benjamin 
Dawson and Stephen A. 
Brownell, who took possession 
of the house in 1895. Under 
the control of these enterpris- 
ing business men, with Mr. F. 
li. McMackin as manager, the 
hotel has been very prosperous 
and is now well patronized. 

The Mansion House is cen- 
trally and conveniently loca- 
ted, and, although the main 
part is an old building, still 
presents a fine appearance. 
An annex was built on the 
Second street end, six years 
ago, and this addition contains 
twenty rooms, modern in size 
and appointments. The entire 
house has over sixty rooms, all 
comfortably furnished, lighted 
and well ventilated. The din- 
ing room has a seating capacity 
6w 



mit a ready means of exit, 
found reasonable, the rulir 
per day. 



for fifty persons, 
while the parlors, 
public rooms, and 
other apartments for 
visitors are commo- 
dious and conveni- 
ent. Annunciators 
are placed in every 
bedroom, the tele- 
phone is free to 
patrons, and every 
comfort and conven- 
ience known to mod- 
ern hotel-keeping are 
provided for guests. 
The house is heated 
by steam throughout 
with a radiator in 
every room. The cui- 
sine is excellent, and 
every effort is made 
to make patrons com- 
fortable. There is a 
barber shop in the 
basement, bath- 
rooms, closets, etc., 
are upon every floor, 
and fire-escapes per- 
Prices will always be 
rates being two dollars 



Taber, Read & Gardner. 

One of the firms that dates back to the busy 
whaling days, and which is still a prosperous and 
energetic concern under the new conditions, is Taber, 
Read & Gardner, dealers in clothing and gentlemen's 

furnishings, at the corner of Union street and 




1 Gents' Furnishing Stoke 



42 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



Acushnet avenue. The house was established in 1850 
by Joseph R. Read and lulward T. Taber, under the 
name of Taber, Read & Co. In 1S68 Darius P. Gard- 
ner was admitted as a partner, and the firm then 
assumed its pre.sent title of Taber, Read & Gardner. 
Mr. Read died in 1879, and his son, William F". Read, 
then succeeded to his interest, and since then has 
been the active manager of the business. Mr. Taber 
died in 1883. < )f the old members of the firm, Mr. 
Gardner is the only one remaining. In the old days 
the firm were agents for, whaling vessels, and did a 
large business as outfitters. The main business of 
the house has always been clothing and gentlemen's 
furnishings, hats, caps, under- 
clothing and neckwear, and it is 
still a leader in these lines, car- 
rying an extensive and varied 
stock of first-class goods. Mr. 
W. F. Read has had many years 
experience, both with the old 
firm, and also in l-iostcm. 

Stephen A. Brownell. 

A man who has filled a large 
place in the recent history of 
New Bedford is Stephen A. 
Brownell. He has been active 
both in business and public life, 
is a leading merchant, was mayor 
of the city in 1894, and is Vice- 
Chairman of the Committee that 
has charge of the Semi-Centen- 
nial Celebration. Owing to the 
illness of Mayor Ashley, he has 
been Acting Chairman, has pre- 
sided at nearly all the meet- 
ings and has been the 
executive head of the Cele- 
bration. He was born in 
Westport, Jan. 5, 1844, 
and was educated ui the 
common schools of his 
native town and at Pierce Acrid( 
He then taught country schools 
after which he was a storek 
postmaster of Central Village ii 
1864 to 1870. Subsequently for six years he was 
engaged in the live cattle trade, to which was soon 
added the slaughtering of cattle. He came to New 
Bedford in April, 1878, and was first employed here 
by Pardon Cornell, wholesale meat dealer, as manager. 
He remained in this position six years, then became 
a partner in the business, and six years later suc- 
ceeded to the entire business of P. Cornell & Co., 
becoming the New Bedford agent of P. 1). Armour & 
Co., of Chicago. His business has been conducted 
under the style of Stephen A. Brownell. Meanwhile 
he engaged in numerous other cnter|irises, including 
manufacturiiitr and bankin-. i le is now a director of 




Middlcboro. 



Westp 



md tht 
t fron- 



the Dartmouth and Westport Electric Railroad, the 
New Bedford Safe Deposit and Trust Co., and the 
New Bedford Co-operative Bank; president and direc- 
tor of the Strange Forged Drill & Tool Co.; president 
of the New Bedford Board of Trade, and member of 
the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Co., of Boston, 
Mass. 

His public life was begun while he was a resident 
of West]30it, as a member of the lower house of the 
Legislature. In New Bedford he was elected a mem- 
ber of the City Council in 1886 87, and Alderman in 
1888-90-91-92; Mayor, 1894. He belongs to all the 
leading Masonic orders in the city.and is a Thirty-Second 
Degree Mason; is also a member 
of American Order of United 
Workmen, New Bedford Order 
j,^^^ of Benevolent lilks, the Acush- 

net Lodge of Odd Fellows, -Stella 
Lodge, Daughters of Rebecca; 
President and Director of Odd 
Pillows Building Association of 
New Bedford; a member of the 
Hunters' Club of New Bedford, 
Mayors' Club of Massachusetts, 
and the Club of Legislature of 
1870. 

Mr. Brownell is properly called 
the father of New Bedford's 
extensive Public Park System. 
He has done more to develop 
public sentiment in this direc- 
tion and accomplished more 
in locating and improving Pub- 
c Parks than any other citizen. 
t has been a special hobby of 
his for the last 15 years and it 
is gratifying to witness the re- 
sults of his efforts. 

ARMOUR & CO.'s NEW 
BUILDING. 

l'"or many years Mr. 
Brownell's business lias 
been conducted in a group 
of old buildings at the foot 
of School street, but he will move about the second 
week in October, 1897, into a new building on the east 
side of Front street, between Union and Central streets, 
which has just been completed by Armour & Co. The 
building is a substantial structure of brick, go 
feet long by 57 feet wide, two lofty stories in height, 
with a seven-foot basement. The height of the edifice, 
from the level of the sidewalk to the eaves, is 36 feet. 
This structure is designed as a storehouse and a 
receiving and distributing depot for meats and the 
products of Armour & Co., for whom Mr. Brownell's 
film are sole agents in New Bedford, and it has been 
constructed with all the care that the wide and 
extensive experience of the great Chicago packers 
renders possible. The building is a solid block, with 
the exception of a scpiare space, occupying the half of 
tJie front on the lower story, which is ojien, and de- 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



43 



signed for a covered shipping way for wagons to back 
up and receive goods. Platforms extend around it 
along the walls, and it can be entered from Front 
street or the side street. 

The offices and salesrooms are on the first floor 
front, and are beautifully finished in polished oak. 
They are lighted by large plate glass windows. The 
remainder of the first floor is divided into three com- 
partments, — the smoked meat room, the pickling 
room, and the "cooler." The latter is in reality the 
refrigerator, is the largest room in the building, and 



so as to be perfectly water tight, it is thought. The 
floor is only a few inches above ordinary high tides 
but not abovespringandneaptides, consequently there 
is danger that the water may at times be forced in. 
While this is not expected, provision has been made 
to run the water off in case of such a disaster by 
outlets in the floor connected with pipes, and pro- 
tected by strong screw caps. The basement will be 
used for barrel storage of pickled meats, etc. 

A hydraulic elevator in the rear of the office con- 
nects the basement with the second story. A spur 




AR.MOUR & CO.'s NEW PLANT, FRONT STREl- 



is used as a store house for " fresh cuts " of meat. 
The beef is suspended from lines of overhead railways, 
which run out into the salesroom and driveway at the 
front, and on to the shipping platform in the rear, 
and by their means the carcasses are received and 
delivered readily and easily. The temperature in the 
" cooler " is maintained at 30 degrees V. 

In the space in the second story over the " cooler " 
are the ice bunkers, capable of holding 300 tons of 
ice. This is the ice box of the " cooler," and the 
whole thus forms an immense refrigerator. The 
other portions of the second story are devoted to stor- 
age, etc., and in the front are lavatories and toilet 
rooms. On the front and sides of this portion are 
large plate glass windows. 

The basement of the building presents some 
unique features. It is seven feet high, is cemented 



track runs close up to the rear of the building so 
that meats can be landed directly on the platform, 
and run by the overhead railway into the "cooler," 
while a skid provides for the passage of barrels mto 
the basement. 

When Mr. Brownell moves into this building, Mr. 
John W. Bannister, who has been connected with the 
business for sixteen years, and is now manager, will 
become a partner. 

Parker House. 

For many years the Parker House on Purchase 
street, in the centre of the city, has been a well 
known hotel. It was first opened as a hotel on Feb- 
ruary 10, 1842, by Horton & Son, and has ever since 
been a public house. It was formerly the residence 
of John Avery Parker, a prominent merchant, but 
many additions have been made to the original 
structure. 



44 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



William Baylies. 

One of the old-time commercial houses whose chief 
business was the provisioning of ships, but which has 
survived and adapted its energies to changed condi- 
tions is that conducted by William Baylies at 8 to 1 6 
Union street, on the water front. The business was 
established in 1833, by Alexander H. Seabury & Co., 
and from the first was carried on in the present build- 
ing, a substantial three-story structure of stone, which 
was then erected for its accommodation by Mr. Sea- 
bury. William Baylies went to work for Mr. Seabury, 



ever, especially in the last two decades, all this was 
changed. 

While the house still is prepared to supjjly ships, a 
large general wholesale business in flour and grain 
was developed as the returns from the whale ships 
dwindled. Within the past few years an extensive line 
of groceries has been added, and at present Mr. Bay- 
lies is a general wholesale merchant in fiour, grain 
and groceries. 

Several specialties are handled. The house is the 
sole packer of Baylies' Rolled Oats; is the sole agent 




sn a clerk, in 1S45, ^"'l "i i''^49> when Mr. Seabury re- 
tired, he, in company with Nathaniel C. Cannon, 
became the owners, and conducted the business under 
the firm name of Baylies & Cannon. Mr. Baylies 
was the manager. Mr. Cannon died in 1876, and since 
then the house has been conducted under Mr. Baylies' 
name alone. Two of Mr. Baylies' sons now ha\c an 
interest in the business, C. S. Baylies, who became a 
partner in 1885, and K. I,. Baylies, who entered the 
firm in 1887. 

The original business of the house was to sui)ply 
whale shii)s with provisions for a voyage, and in the 
hey-day of the whale fishery this required a large 
capital, the dealings were extensive and the returns 
were good. With the decline of whaling, how- 



for the Roller Mills first quality of fancy ll.iur manu- 
factured by Christian Bros. & Co., Minneapolis; and 
is wholesale agent for Bloomer Club 5 cent cigar and 
Plutocrat 10 cent cigar. The sale of these specialties 
is all under the control of Logan R. Doane. 

Mr. Baylies is heavily interested in whaling vessels, 
and owns large shares of the following : Steamer 
William Baylies (named after him, and of which a 
picture is shown on page 8); steamer Belvedere; 
baiks Horatio, California, Alice Knowles, Canton, 
rialina. Greyhound; schooners Pedro \'arela and 
Joseph G. Dean. William Lewis and J. & W. R. Wing 
are agents for most of these vessels, which, with the 
exce]ition of the Pedro Varela, are now all out on 
voyages. 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



45 




BUILDING OF THE \V. S. HILL ELECTRIC CO. 

W. S. Hill Electric Co. 

The W. S. Hill Electric Co., manufacturers of 
switches, switchboards, panel boards, fuse blocks and 
electrical supplies, was established in New Bedford 
in 1896. The business was transferred to this city 
from Boston, where it was established many years ago 
by Mr. W. S. Hill, one of the pioneers in the con- 
struction of electrical appliances and devices. The 
plant is now operated in the large three-story brick 
building. No. 10 Elm street, and occupies three floors 
1 50 x 100 feet. A foundry has recently been added, 
by which the company is enabled to get out its pro- 
duct much more speedily than formerly. No poor 
castings are allowed to enter into any part of the 
construction, but every one is thoroughly tested. 

During the past year the company has installed, 
despite the hard times, some of the largest switch- 
boards now in us 
country. Amon 



"All-copper Switch." Besides these, "Single Break" 
and "Quick-Break" Switches in all sizes are manufac- 
tured. The company also does a great deal of special 
switch work, and manufactures special switch appli- 
ances to order. Recently there was made at the 
factory, on a special order, a "Booster Short Circuit 
Switch" of 2,000 ampheres, designed to throw in and 
out a "Booster" dynamo for increasing voltage at 
e.xtreme ends of long circuits. 

The large switchboard, a picture of which is shown 
on this page, which was installed at the Utica State 
Hospital, Utica, N. Y., is made of black polished 
slate, with the very finest japanned iron grill work at 
bottom, and fancy, solid, polished brass pedestals, all 
of the very highest finish. A similar board has been 
installed in the Syracuse (N. Y.) State Institution for 
Feeble Minded Children. 

The present ofificers of the W. S. Hill Electric Co. 
are : F. A. Sowle, President; Caleb Hammond, Vice- 
President; C. S. Mendell, Treasurer and Manager. 
The company is incorporated under the laws of 
Massachusetts and is capitalized for $70,000. 



1 this 
these 

ha\'e been one in the Con- 
gressional Library, Wash 
ington, D. C, and one ii 
the Public Library, Bostor 
Mass. Recently they ir 
stalled a large switchboar( 
of beautiful white Italiai 
marble in the Hotel Toui 
raine, Boston, and a simila 
one in the American Hous 
in the same city. Order 
for these switchboards ar^ 
received from all parts o 
the country. 

Several lines of switches 
are manufactured, which 
cannot be excelled by any 
others on the market. The 
most important of these is 
the "Standard Reinforced 
Contact Switch," which is 
the "Hill Switch" im- 
proved. Another switch 
greatly in demand is the 



BOSTON BEEF CO. 

Operates Three Stores.— Leads in Meats and 
Groceries. 

The largest concern dealing in meats and groceries 
at retail at the present time in New Bedford is the 
Boston Beef Co., which runs three stores in differ- 
ent parts of the city. The business was originally 
started September 28, 1891, at the North End, but 
the field there was not found large enough, and the 



,i^3 




HE UTICA -STATE HOSPITAL, UTICA, N. V. 

MADE IIV THE W. S. 1 



46 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



concern moved to the present central store, 132 
Union Street in April, 1892. The business increased 
rapidly, and in order to provide for the growing trade 
a second store was opened September 15, 1893, at 
138 Blackmer Street in the south part of the city. 
The third store was opened October i, 1895, at 937 
Acushnet avenue in the north part of the city. By 
these three stores customers in the main sections of 
the city are well accommodated. 

The aim ot the company has always been to 
supply the best goods the market affords at honest 



carried in the three stores. Owing to the fact the 
company has such a large output it is able to buy 
meats and groceries in car load lots at very advan- 
tageous prices, with the result that the goods can 
thereby be sold at an inside price to the retail trade. 

The busmess was originally managed by W. S. Gor- 
don, who soon after starting it took in as partner, 
A. G. Hodgdon. The concern is now conducted 
under the style of the Boston Beef Co., Hodgdon & 
Gordon, managers and proprietors. Mr. Gordon has 
had an experience of twenty years and Mr. Hodgdon 











o^ 



1SO.STON BEEK CO. S STOKES. 



prices. A// sales arc strictly for cash, and no goods 
arc delivered. By adhering to these two principles it 
is quite evident that the company can readily sell 
cheaper than competitors who give credit and employ 
men and wagons in delivering goods, because by 
this means bad debts are avoided, and the fi.xed 
charges of conducting the business are greatly 
lessened. By placing the stores in different sections 
of the city as the comi)any has done, customers from 
any section of the city are enabled to deal with this 
concern and carry home their own purchases without 
undue exertion. The large patronage the company 
enjoys demonstrates that the people appreciate its 
mcthdds. 

A full line of meats, groceries and provisions is 



about fifteen in tliis line of business, and they are 
both capable, energetic and wide awake men. 

William F. Nye. 

William !•". Nye as a manufacturei' of sperm, whale 
and fish oils, and dealer in all the lubricating oils from 
petroleum, commands a far reaching trade, and in 
connection with his extensive department for bottling 
the finer grades of oil for watches, clocks, typewriters, 
bicycles and sewing machines, his business may be 
classed as the most unique oil business extant, as by 
long and continuous advertising he has placed his 
goods in every leading business centre of the globe. 
His reijutation has become world-wide, and his name 
a household word among the vast fraternity of watch 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



47 



any draft, may be considered one of the finest 
and the leading oil factory of the country, 
when the variety and quality of his oils are 
considered. Mr. Nye has brought this busi- 
ness to its present proportions by a long and 
almost unparalleled industry, now e.xceeding 
thirty years. 

Familiar as he was and somewhat identified 
with the whaling business, since he migrated 
from among the fishermen of Cape Cod in 
1 84 1, to make New Bedford his permanent 
home, he, at the close of a three years' ser- 
vice in the war of the rebellion, in 1S65, 
engaged in sperm and whale oils exclusively ; 
but ere long it was self-evident to him that 
petroleum was coming to the front as the oil 
for nearly all purposes, and especially for 
lubricating the machinery of the world's 
rapidly increasing industries, and the sequel 
of his forethought is its introduction by him 
over the civilized world, under the brands of 
Machinery Oil, Spindle Oil, Cylinder Oil, 
Engine Oil, Dynamo Oil, Loom Oil, Standard 
Axle Oil, etc., each adapted to its purpose 
as to its fire test, cold test, specific gravity 
and viscosity. 

Perhaps in no one department has he won 
greater laurels, than with his "Jaw" and 
"Melon" oils of the blackfish and porpoise. 
WILLIAM. F. NYE. ^^j.^^^ ^j^j^ ^jj ^^ ^^^^^^^ sponsor for the Horo- 

and clock makers, sewing machine dealers and bicycle logical trade of the world, as he holds the greater 
riders. His large stone factory, situated on the imme- portion of the world's supply, and in conjunction 
diate water front of the city, accessible by vessels of with Mr. John Wing, who succeeded to the manu- 





WILLIAM F. NVK .S OIL \\(IKK^ 



), MCW UKDFUKI 



48 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 




DENISON, ri.UMMF.R CO., SOUTH MILL, SC 

facture of the I'2zra Kelley Oil, uniform prices are 
established for this rare product. 

His typewriter and bicycle oils are especially fine 
oils, that have met with a sale no less rapid than the 
introduction of the two machines themselves. 

The consumption of bottles by Mr. Nye in his 
several departments gives employment to some twenty 
workmen in one of Pittsburg's Flint Glass Factories, 
and he employs quite the same number of hands, 
male and female, 
in his New Bed- 
ford factory, filling, 
corking, packing, 
and shipping i,ooo 
gross of these bot- 
tles monthly. T're- 
quently in b u s y 
seasons, 200 gross 
of these bottles are 
filled in a single 
day ; the filling be- 
ing done in trays 
of one gross each, 
in the space of two 
minutes for each 
gross, under a pat- 
ent "Filler," tlu' 
invention of Mr. J. 
K. Nye, son of the 
proprietor, and the 
corking most effec- 
tively and rapidly 
done by a very 
simple device, also 



patented by Mr. J. 
K. Nye. 

The three floors 
of his factory are 
most completely 
arranged, and sup- 
plied with hoisting 
engines and force 
pumps, tanks and 
apparatus for re- 
fining his many 
grades of lubricat- 
ing oils. 

Mr. Nye's papers 
on the food and 
growth of deep sea 
fish, and the pro- 
ducts and manufac- 
ture of their oils, 
recently read be- 
fore the Par- 
son's Horological 
Schools at Peoria, 
111., and La Porte, 
Ind., are m o s t 
unique and inter- 
esting papers, and 
afford valuable in- 
formation to inven- 
tors of the many 
delicately con- 
structed mechan- 
isms of our times, as electrical appliances, locomotive 
speed recorders, tower clocks, etc., etc. 



WATER STREE'J 



The Denison, Plummer Company. 

The business carried on b)' the Denison, Plummer 
Co., in handling flour and grain is five times larger than 
that of any other concern in New Bedford and vicinity. 
Established over thirty years ago, and for a long 
period a manufacturing house — converting grain into 




New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



49 



flour and meal — as well as as an extensive dealer in 
these commodities, the company has discontinued the 
milling part of the business and greatly enlarged the 
mercantile department. The present name, the Den- 
ison, Plummer Co., was adopted May i, 1896, and 
succeeded Denison Bros. Co. In the spring of 1897 
all the interests of the Denisons in the company 
were retired, and the control of the business came 
into the hands of Henry M. Plummer, who was elected 
president and treasurer. Mr. Plummer's e.xperience 
as a practical poultry farmer in the town of Dartmouth 
admirably fits him to successfully carry on this large 
hayandgrain trade, 
as he is a skilled 
judge in regard to 
grains and the 
necessities found 
indispensable by 
poultry keepers. 

The company is 
now agent for the 
most reliable 
brands of flour in 
the coimtry, includ- 
ing Pillsbury's 
Best, "Washburn's 
Best," C r e a m 
White, Snow 
White, and it han- 
dles large quanti- 
ties of its own pri- 
vate brands, the 
"Eureka" and 
"Our B e s t," 
the excellence 
of which has been 
tested for over 25 
years by customers 
in this vicinity and 
elsewhere. Two 
places of business 
are maintainetl, 
both of which have 
within the past few 
months been exten- 
sively enlarged to '^"- °" ' 
accommodate the continued increase in the volume 
of business since Mr. Plummer assumed the man- 
agement. All customers from the southern portion 
of the city and the adjacent towns of Dartmouth 
and Westport will find it most convenient to transact 



excellence and reliability. Such is emphatically the 
case with the Denison, Plummer Co. The trade of 
the house extends to all the surrounding territory 
and the facilities for filling all orders however large 
are unsurpassed by any other establishment in South- 
eastern Massachusetts, and those entering into busi- 
ness relations with the company may rest assured of 
receiving such treatment as is in accord with the long 
established reputation. 




Davis & Hatch Spice Co. 

The only concern, engaged in the grinding of 
spices, cream of tartar, and roasting coffee, in New 
Bedford, or indeed 
in Southern Mass- 
achusetts, with 
one exception, is 
the Davis & 
Hatch Spice Co., 
whose store and 
factory is at 28 
Union street. 
The business was 
started in 1865 
on High street by 
Timothy Davis 
and Thatcher C. 
Hatch, under the 
firm name of 
Davis & Hatch. 
About 1887 the 
concern moved to 
the present loca- 
tion, and in De- 
cember, 1893, Mr. 
Frank K. Fowler 
purchased the 
luisiness, and is 
now sole owner 
ind manager. 

Under Mr. Fow- 
Ut's control the 
Imsiness has been 
inosperous. 

The mill where 

the grinding 

and manufactur- 

is in the rear of 

11 the modern con- 



& HATCH SPICE CO. BUILDING 



ing of the spices is carried o 
the store, and is fitted up with 

veniences and up-to-date machinery used in this man- 
ufacture. All the ordinary spices are here prepared 
and put up in convenient form for the market. The 
their business at the south mill, so-called, corner of company also deals in teas and coffees, and manu- 
School and Water streets, while those living at the factures and puts up extracts, baking powder, cream 
north end or in Acushnet, will find every accommoda- of tartar, saleratus, ammonia, blueing, witch hazel, 
tion at the north branch, 748 Purchase street, which ^^y rum, insect powder, etc. One of the chief 
has lately been equipped with a new elevator for dis- specialties handled is Hatch's Non Alcoholic Crystal 
charging grain direct from cars, while increased space Ginger, put up in tm cans in a dry form, which has 
has likewise been provided for loading teams. ^ proved very popular. All goods are guaranteed to be 



In these days when so much production that is not 
standard is put on the market, customers feel that the 
established reputation of a house is a guarantee of 
7-w 



represented, and prices are as low as any quoted, 
considering quality. 



50 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



Norman P. Mayes. 

Among the leading retail business establishments 
in New Bedford is the hardware store of Norman P. 
Hayes, on the corner of William street and Acushnet 
avenue. Mr. Hayes came to New Bedford in 1879, 
and started in business at his present location. He 
was exceedingly fortunate at the outset in his choice 
of locations, and there are few more eligible sites for 
business purposes in the city. The structure occu- 
pied by him — the Andrews building — opposite the 



erally than New Bedford, aad the success of such 
establishments as Mr. Hayes' is ample proof of this. 
Probably one of the most successful patriotic dem- 
onstration of a public character ever made under 
private auspices in this city occurred on Tuesday 
evening. May 22, 1894, when Mr. Hayes, with the 
assistance of the Grand Army, Sons of 'Veterans, etc., 
caused to be thrown to the breeze a magnificient and 
costly American flag. The event took place at his 
business block corner of William street and Acushnet 







.WICS H.\ROWAKK ICSTABLISllMKN 1 



new post office, is a handsome aiul substantial brick 
edifice, granite trimmed, three stories in height, 
with spacious basement, and is wholly devoted to 
the carefully selected and well arranged stock of 
general hardware, cutlery, tools, ship chandler)-, and 
agricultural implements of infinite variety and 
description. 

This establishment is of gieat im|)ortance in sup- 
plying the wants of the citizens of this thriving city. 
Probably there is no coast town that offers more 
advantages for manufacturers and business men gen- 



avenue and will long be remembeicd by those who 
were fortunate enough to assist at the exercises. 
Besides being a \-ery popular citizen and business man, 
Ml". Ilaycs is also a prominent Mason and a meml)er 
uf the Wamsutta and Dartmouth clubs. 

While Mr. Hayes has not been engaged in business 
as long a time as many of the leading merchants of 
the city, yet his record measured by the success of his 
enterprise, the volume and expansion of business, 
hold upon the ]Hiblic, increased list of patrons and 
friends, stands high in comparison with anyone else 
in the city. 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



51 



The Pairpoint Mfg. Co. 

While youngest in the galaxy of reputable sil- 
verware manufacturers, the Pairpoint Manufacturing 
Company, of New Bedford, Mass., has made rapid 
and permanent growth, attaining a marked degree of 
excellence during the seventeen years since its incep- 
tion. In 1869, the Mt. Washington Glass Works, 
now a part of the Pairpoint plant, and started originally 
at South Boston in 1837, was brought to New Bed- 
ford and located on the line of what is now Prospect 
street. In 1880 the Pairpoint Manufacturing Com- 
pany was organized, a three story building erected and 
with power from the Mt. Washington Glass Company 
(which was really the parent institution) operations 
were commenced. 

Although the ground area was only 120x40 feet 



thing that will give an adequate conception of the 
splendid display of manufactured products constantly 
on exhibition at the factory showrooms located at the 
foot of Rowland street. Even then it is hard to 
realize that under the same spacious roof sand and 
lead are being skillfully mixed, melted and wrought 
into the sparkling punch bowl or charming bit of cut 
tableware, that the dull, crude metals of mother 
earth are under the masterful hand of the artificer 
being transformed into rich table furnishings, toilet 
articles and a thousand and one useful and novel 
pieces. 

People generally are interested in brief descriptions 
of mechanical processes when accompanied, as every- 
thing in these times must be, by illustrations. Take 
the making of a choice Tea Set, like this one shown 







Pairpoint Mfg, So. 

WORKS AT 

New Bedford, 

MASS. 



and the space necessarily limited, a complete line of 
staple and fancy articles in plate was produced and 
placed upon the market. 

Orders came in rapidly, and then began that 
sequence of miprovements and developments which 
year by year made the addition of new buildings im- 
perative, until consolidation with the Mt. Washington 
Glass Works in 1894 the floor area was then equiva- 
lent to an avenue 40 feet wide and one mile in length. 
To carry out this conception we must imagine that 
along either side of this extended "plaisance" would be 
ranged skilled workmen, delicate and special machin- 
ery, ponderous presses, melting pots and everything 
in short required to work and mould the crude mate- 
ials into forms of beauty and utility. The detail of 
any great institution is invariably beggared by de- 
scription and a visit to the Pairpoint Works is the only 



herewith. Block tin, copper, antimony and other 
materials are carefully melted in certain proportions, 
and the mixture cast into oblong plates, which are 




Jj^ LtL^^.,^ 



rolled down to the required thickness, cut into shape 
and spun into bodies and covers. By a curious 
method the handles and spouts are cast hollow. The 



52 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 




that 



parts are then assembled and soldered together. By 
successive handlings the set is polished, plated, 
burnished by hand and 
comes out a perfect 
beauty, rivaling the 
finest sterling silver. 

As glass can only be 
shaped when exceed- 
ingly hot, machinery 
plays no part in its «^ 

working. From nati\e 
Berkshire Hills, sand, 
skillfully mixed and melted vvith Icul 
ganese and other ingredients, we obti 
useful of metals, namely, glass. The 
working tools of the glass maker are 
necessarily few and simple, the plastic 
mass being largely worked by blowing. 

The visitor is usually surprised to 
see hot glass trimmed off with ordi- 
nary scissors when a piece is a little 
long. The glass maker's is certamly 
a curious art. 

What we are pleased to call cut 
glass is really polislicd glass. The 
circumference of a bowl for instance 
is spaced off with a few lines of red 
paint as a guide and the cutter begins 
by grinding out these lines on an in)n 
wheel, upon the edge of which a small 
stream of sand and water is constantly 
running. This does the cutting and 





leaves the surface so 



ipo 



thi 



rough 
nt the 



r^i?.- 






ent social order demands an end 
ers, ladles and intlividual pieces 



match can be struck 
lattern is elaborated, 
finer and finer is 
the polish until it 
comes out fit to 
ailorn the lordli- 
est table. 

In the line of 
table furnishings 
outside the neces- 
saiy adjunct of 
spoons, forks and 
knives, the pres- 
riety of serv- 
.■ manufacture 



of these is always interesting to the visitor, and 
it is generally a surprise to find that even the plain- 
est pieces must pass through 
so many hands before they 
reach the jeweler. Heavy drop 
hammers are used in shaping 
up the hard metal as the base is 
largely nickle silver. This 
class of article is plated by 
weight and hand finished. 

Unquestionably, the finest 
studios for the hand decora- 
tion of fine china and procelain 
are located at the Pairpoint 
Works. 

To be able to 

,^ (_)ffer genuine 

-''" h'icnch china to 

t h e American 

]niblic, and at 

the same time give them a better 
class of work and more pleasing style 
of decoration we have our china 
blanks made in Limoges, France, to 
the models which we furnish. Color, that is in the 
harmonious blending of it, is a source of greater 
delight probably than any other 
art. A walk through thePairpoint 
Company's ateliers is certainly a 
feast to the eye. The character 
of the work is such, however, 
that visitors cannot at all times be 
admitted. It is a fact that in 
decorating, the greatest perfection 
is reached where the outline of a 
piece and the decoration harmon- 
i/e. One of tiie man)- advantages 
nf this great concern is therefore 
apparent, as the decorator can 
stand by the glass maker and 
artistic taste and mechanical skill 
unite in produciug a result im- 
possible to each without the other. 
The outside equipment is a de- 
partment of itself. Numbers of "missionaries of 
commerce" are on the field visiting cities and towns 



^ff-^^^iKj^ 










^. 



New Bedford Scmi-Centennial Souvenir. 



53 




in every State and Territory, together with the 
Canadian Provinces. For the convenience of buyers 
visiting the great trade centres, salesrooms are 
maintained in New York, Chicago, San Francisco 
and Montreal. 

The number of people finding employment with 
the Pairpoint Company is from nine 
hundred to one thousand, and ranked 
with the great majority of industries 
the average in point of skill and artistic 
ability runs high. 

A word regarding the factory skozv 
rooms. Here is an elegantly appointed 
department containing twenty-six hun- 
dred square feet of floor space devoted 
entirely to the display of manufactured 
products. Brilliant cut glass chande- 
liers of the company's own make orna- 
ment the ceiling, electrical effects brmg 
out the coloring of lamp globes, and 
numerous unique de- 
vices and arrangements 
gives the place a charm- 
ing interest to visitors 
who are always welcome. 
Articles are for sale as 
well as display, and by 
applying at the cashier's 
desk permits to inspect 
the Glass Blowing De- 
partment may be ob- 
tained. 

Visitors from out of 
town cannot spend an hour more 
pleasantly than by visiting this attrac- 
tive place, where we can 
assure them most polite 
attention. Certainly, the resi- 
dents of New Bedford should 
never miss an opportunity of 
taking friends to see the im- 
posing display of one of the 
foremost of the city's indus- 
tries. The factory is located 
at the foot of Rowland street, 
easily reached via Fourth- 
street car line. 




n 





History of the Company. — The Pairpoint Conr 
pany was organized in 1880, with Edward D. Mandeil 
as president, Ale.xander H. Sea- 
bury as treasurer, and T. J. 
Pairpoint as superintendent. 
The capital stock was originally 
$100,000, but in July, 1887, it 
was increased to $400,000, and 
to $1,000,000 in 18915. Mr. 
Pairpoint resigned as superin- 
tendent April I, 1885, and was 
succeeded by Thomas A. Tripp. 
Mr. Seabury resigned as treas- 
urer in May, 1885, and Mr. 
Tripp also succeeded him The 
present officers are : President, 
Clarence A. Cook ; treasurer 
and general manager, Thomas 

A. Tripp. The business of the Mount 
Washington Glass Company was origi- 
nally started in 1837 at a factory built 
in South Boston by Deming Jarves, 
then agent of the Boston & Sandwich 
Glass Company, and the business was 
conducted by Capt. Russell. After 
many changes in owners, the business 
was in 1869 transferred by W. L. Lib- 
bey, then the owner, to the present 
works on Prospect street, in New Bed- 
ford, which had been built by the New 
Bedford Glass Company. This latter 
company had but a 
short existence, owing 
to financial difficulties. 
The business was in- 
corporated as the Mt. 
Washington Glass 
Company in 187 1. In 
1894 it was merged in 
the Pairpoint Manu- 
facturing Company. 

The Pairpoint Manu- 
facturing Company 
employs from nine hun- 
dred to one thousand 
has many salesmen 
n different parts of the 
country. It has a very large ex- 
port trade. Nearly all the 
men are expert mechanics, 
and hundreds of young men 
from the schools of New 
Bedford have learned trades 
in this factory and become 
proficient workmen. Many of 
them now hold positions of re- 
sponsibility, and others have 
developed into artistic de- 
signers and decorators. 



hands, and 
traveling in 




54 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



Tin 



Albert W. Holmes. 

.•xtensive cual business now conducted by 



Albert W. Holmes on y\tlantic wharf toot of Cannon 
St., was started about 1S55 by Joseph Cundall who then 
erected the wharf. Joseph Cundall was succeeded by 
Peleg S. Macy, who carried on the business until 
1869, when he was succeed by Josiah Holmes, Jr. 
In icS84, he was succeeded by his son, Albert W. 
Holmes, who has since then conducted the busi- 
ness. Under the control of the latter the business 
has increased to large proportions. 

The premises occupied have an area of over an 
acre and a half, where the coal is unloaded by modern 



tains an office at 224 Purchase street. From twenty 
to thirty men are constantly employed. 

Mr. Holmes is a native of Mattapoisett, but has 
resided in New Bedford since his father purchased 
this business. He is a good example of the best type 
of conscientious and honorable business men. 

Charles M. Comey, formerly a dry goods dealer at 
the North End, is bookkeeper and clerk for Mr. 
Holmes, and by his geniality and bonhomie holds 
many customers. 

F. S. Brightman. 

For two generations the store at 125, 127 and 129 
Union Street has been known as headquarters for 





^ A.W.HOLMES 

COAL 







a[)])liances. All coal rccei\-etl comes in barges or 
schooners, which find convenient dockage here. 
They are quickly unloaded and the coal transferred 
to sheds by overhead barrows. The sheds for storing 
coal arc ranged on both sides of the wharf and are 
quite extensive. On the north side they are fnc 
hundred feet long Ijy 50 feet wide, and were built in 
1888. On the .south side they are 350 feet long by 45 
feet wide, erected in 1893. The capacity of the sheds 
is over 10,000 tons. 

Most of the coal received is anthracite, and the 
trade is chiefly with families. The office at the wharf 
is convenient for customers residing in the south and 
central parts of the city, but for the accommodation of 
his customers at the North End, Mr. Holmes main- 



at business i; 
re special way 



stationery and blank books. Tl 
carried (.)n there, although in a more special way made 
necessary by changing conditions, and is now owned 
and controlled by Mr. F. S. Brightman, a young man 
of foresight and abilit}' who, after serving as clerk 
with lulwin Dews for twelve years, succeeded him 
in 1893. 

1 1 ere he conducts a jobbing stationery business, both 
wholesale and retail, dealing in commercial stationery, 
blank books, office supplies, paper bags, twines and 
wia|)ping papers. He makes a specialty of supplying 
mills with the goods they demand in his line, and in 
this department has developed a large trade through- 
out Southern New England. By giving his personal 
attention to all details Mr. Ikightman has made a 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



55 



pronounced success. He is his 
own commercial traveler, and his 
route takes him all over Southeast- 
ern Massachusetts, where the bulk 
of his trade comes from. In addi- 
tion to his regular business, Mr. 
Krightman is sole agent in New 
Bedford and vicinity for the Boston 
Sunday Herald and Sunday Globe, 
and has handled on one day as 
many as 7,000 of those newspapers. 
His establishment, including the 
wholesale and retail departments, 
and the storage rooms, occupies 
three stories of a large frame 
building. 

William F. Potter & Co. 

A leading firm in the wholesale 
grocery line in New Bedford is 
that of Wm. F. Potter & Co. The 
head of the business, Mr. Wm. F. 
Potter is a native of New Bedford. 
He was apupilof the High School 
in the days of John V. luiierson, 
and early in life went into the 
grocery business in the employ of 
Wood & Brownell, on Union street. 
From 1853 to 1861, he was a clerk 
for this concern, and from 1S61 to 
1865 was a partner in same house. 




WIT.M.VN S ST.\TIO.\KKY STOKE, 127-129 U.\10\ STKK: 




56 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



In 1865 he severed his connection with Wood & 
Browne!!, and went into the who!esa!e produce busi- 
ness opposite his present quarters, where he remained 
unti! the spring of 1868, when he branched out as a 
wholesale grocer (handling considerable petroleum oil) 
at his present location corner of Union and Front 
streets, which had been previously occupied by W. 
F. Drown in the same line of business. 

The firm with their efficient help and popular sales- 
men endeavor to please their customers in prices, 
accom m d a t i o n 
and honorable deal 
ing, and point to 
their past record as 
a guarantee of its 
like continuance 
in the future. The 
building, Nos. 9, 
II, 13 and 15 Un- 
ion street, which 
houses the exten- 
sive business, is 
well adapted to 
its purpose, afford- 
ing every facility 
and convenience 
for the display and 
accommodation of 
the large stock car- 
ried. The dimen- 
sions of the building 
are 45 by 1 10 feet, 
three stories high 
and its equipment 
is admirable. Seven 
hands are employed 
and two wide-awake 
travelers represent 
the firm on the road. 
The transportation 
facilities are of the 
best as the railroad 
pa.sses the end specimen ok t.ie \ l 1 

of the building, 

while the docks of the New \'ork and of the Maitha ■■ 
\'incyard steamers close by, afford excellent op 
]i()rtunity for receiving and delivering goods. 



skilled labor can produce in cut glass. That this 
policy is a good one, one can readily see by looking 
at the rapid growth of the company and the quantity 
of its goods, which are to be found in the higher 
grade art stores in the leading cities of our country. 
Several of its designs which are especially worthy 
of more than casual notice are the "Constellation," 
which is illustrated on a mammoth footed punch 
bowl, as shown below ; the "Superba," a design new 
a n d strikingly 
original ; the 
"Roman," "Ar- 
lington," and 
many others, all 
of which are 
admired for the 
intricacy of 
design and the 
high order of 
workmanship. 





Brett & Simpson. 

The old s t o n e 
building on the 
cor. of No. Water 
and Middle Streets, 
now with many ad- 
ditions, is occupied 
by Brett & Simp- 
son, Soap and Wash- 
ing Powder manu- 
facturers, who do 
the largest business 
of any like concern 
in this section. 

The old stone 
building has been 
standing ever since 
1815, at which time 
John James How- 
land built it for a 
candle factory. 



L \CkMCR CO S CL r CLASS 



The A. L. Blackmer Company. 

The A. L. Blackmer Co., manufacturers of strictly 
high-grade cut glass. No. 169 North Second street, go 
to make up one of the many interesting and progres- 
sive industries of New Bedford. Starting but a few 
years ago, this corporation has, in a comparatively 
short time, by the excellency and high standard of 
its product, taken a position in the first ranks of the 
glas.s-culting establishments of tiie country. The 
motto of its management is to excel in turning out tiie 
richest and most elaborate designs and articles that 



Officers of the 
New Bedford In- 
MiruiiON I ok S\\i\(,s I kom the Beginning Until 
FHi I'rfseni — Piesidents: William Rotch, Jr., 
Abraham Barker, Thomas Mandell, Pardon Til- 
linghast, William C. Taber, William Watkins and 
William W. Crapo who was elected in 1896. Treas- 
uiers- .\braham Shearman. Jr., William C. Taber, 
Cieorge W. Baker, William C. Taber (treasurer, />ri> 
(nil.), Reuben Nye, William C. Coffin and Charles H. 
Pierce who has served since 1870. 

!''|-om the beginning of its career the institu- 
tion has prospered constantly. In 1S50 the funds 
amounted to $160,477.95; in 1840 to $240,298.37; 
in 1850 to $577,448.01 ; in i860 to $2,070,395.80; 
1870 to $5,436,263.60; in 1880 to $8,835,984.6. 



in 1890 to $11,540,767.24 and on July I7tii, 
$13,412,226.57. 



to 



New Bedford Semi-Centcnnial Souvenir. 



57 



The Philadelphia & Reading Coal and Iron Co. 

Ranking among the largest plants for receiving 
and distributing coal on the Atlantic seaboard, are 
the extensive coal pockets of the Philadelphia & 



The premises are at the foot of Walnut street, and 
occupy an area of 6.14 acres. 

The plant was established and the main pocket 
on the wharf erected in 1873 by the Philadelphia & 




Readi 



L POCKETS. PHILADELPHIA AND READING COAL ii IRON CO 

Coal and Iron Co., at New Bedford. Occu 



COAL PIERS. 



Reading Coal and Iron Co. The extension of the 
New Bedford railroad from the North End along the 



pyino- a position of great advantage on the water 

front near the centre of the deepest portion of the water front, to the steamboat wharf m that year, 

commodious harbor, they loom up much more con- opened up the territory for transportation purposes, 

spicuously than any other structures along shore, and made this enterprise feasible. The property was 

8-H 



58 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



leased to various firms until 1S82, when the owners 
took possession, and proceeded to utilize the plant 
as a forwarding and distributing depot for the com- 
pany's coals to the local mills, and to inland dealers 
and manufacturers. The latter traffic is carried on 
by means of the cars of the Old Colony Railroad 
Company to all points on its main branches and con- 
nections. Since the company took control of the 
property the business has assumed immense pro- 
portions. 

The entire ])lant consists of a main pocket, on the 
end of the wharf, 210 feet long, forty feet wide and 
forty-five feet high, with a capacity of 7,200 tons ; 
a shipping pocket, 100 feet long, at the head of the 
north side of the dock ; and fourteen immense bins, 
connected with the sliippin;;- poikct, into which the 




coal is conducted by oveiheail runways and stored 
until needed. Railroad tracks traverse the entire 
area, extending to and passing underneath and along- 
side the shipping and main pockets, and encircling 
the mammoth bins, so that c\i-i\- one can be tapped 
directly by the cars. 

Most of the coal is now bioii-lil in by large barges 
or schooners, and sonic of it in inm ste.imers. X'essels 
of twenty-one feet draft can come up to either the 
main or the shipping pocket, and the cargoes the 
barges and schooners now bring range from 2,300 to 
3,000 tons. The company's large steamers and barges 
can be discharged with the appliances now in use by 
unloading from four hatches at once, in about 8 hours; 
steamer "Pottsville," with 1,720 tons, was unloaded in 
7 1-2 hours. The coal received in New Bedford comes 
from the company's own depots at Port Richmond on 
the Delaware, or Tort Reading on Staten Island, New 



York Harbor, at which points it is received direct by 
cars from the company's mines in Pennsylvania. A 
number of vessels can be discharged at once as the 
pro]5erty has 2210 feet of wharf line, in front of 
which is sufficient water for the largest crafts that 
come in. 

The fourteen storage bins are situated at the head 
fo the wharf and occupy a space extending to Soutli 
Water street. ( )n a portion of the area they cover, the 
New Bedford Marine Railway was formerly located. 
The bins have a total capacity of 130,000 tons, and are 
intended for the storage of the winter's supply of 
coal during the ice embargo, when the weather 
renders uncertain the arrival of cargoes. The bins 
are of a peculiar but very effective construction. The 
sides are formed of triangles of heavy timbers, twenty- 
six feet high, the 
outer edge inclined 
at about an angle 
of seventy-five de- 
grees, and the base 
resting on the 
ground. They are 
strongly braced, are 
placed five feet 
apart, and connect- 
ed on the outside 
with heavy 3-inch 
planks which forms 
the walls of the 
bins. No posts are 
sunk in the ground. 
When coal is put 
in these bins the 
triangles act on the 
principle of the 
truss, and the great- 
er the load, within 
certain limits, the 
stronger the bins 
II wxii.K .siKi.r. I. 'irc'. The coal is 

sometimes heaped 
up twenty-fi\'e feet abo\e the edges of the storage 
bins. Attached to the storage bins are shipping bins 
provided with shoots to discharge coal into the cars, 
at an elexation to provide screening. 

At the harbor end of the bins is a iioiler house, 
containing three boilers, tw<i of sixty hmse power 
each and one of forty-five, wiiitli tuinish steam [or 
eleven hoisting engines and derricks, and inv a winch 
im the wharf for hauling cars, and alsn fdi^ heating 
piMpnscs. W hen \'essels are being unloaded fi(un 100 
til 130 men are employed. 

A few statistics compded from the comjiany's 
books wdl give an idea of the extent of the business: 

Lari^csl year (1S94) oiUpiit on N. \.. \. 11. ,\ II. R. K. cars 

— 263,596 4-20 Ions. 
Largest nioiilli of same September, 1894 — 36,890 11-20 tons. 
Week ending June 13, 1894, as per pay roll, 13,383 Ions ilisiharged 

from vessels. 



New Bedford Semi-Centcnnial Souvenir, 



59 



30 worki 



-46,260 tons discharged 



Largest week's car service, January 23-28, 1893 — 1,682 cars; April 
11-17, 1893 — 1,548 cars; Sept. 17-21, i8g6, 1,534 cars. 

Schooner "Sagamore," 2,214 tons, arrived 9 a. m. March 13, 1895: 
discharged 12 m. March 14, 1895; 13 working hours, all on 
cars, is an instance of quick work. 

The business of the company is altogether whole- 
sale, and it does not consequently come into compe- 
tition with the local dealers. It however, gives 
employment to many persons in the city, and furnishes 
a large amount of business to the railroad. In view 
of these facts it would be a very short-sighted policy 
for the New Bedford city fathers to do anything that 
would operate against the business of the company. 
The raising of the railroad tracks, in order to avoid 
a grade crossing at the approach to the new bridge, 
as has been proposed, and evidently favored by the 
City Council in 1893, would certainly have this effect, 
as such an elevation would be a permanent blockade 
on account of the heavy grades, or necessitate the 
elevation of the whole plant of the company. The 
great expense would preclude the company accepting 
the latter alternative, as it would probably prefer, 
under such conditions, to remove its plant elsewhere. 

Charles W. Agard is the local superintendent in 
New Bedford, and the business has been developed 
to a large extent under his management. 



Blossom Brothers. 

The firm of Blossom Brothers operate an extensive 
planing mill at 172 North Water street, and are man- 
ufacturers and dealers in window and door frames, 
sash and blinds. The factory was constructed with 
special reference to the details of the manufacture, 
and the equipment of machinery and appliances are 
of the most modern and improved character. The 
entire plant covers an area of about an acre. On the 
premises is a dry house of the most improved pattern. 

They have recently added a nice moulding machine, 
which affords them special facilities for the manufac- 
ture of mouldings and fine interior finish, and they 
are now leaders in the production of special mouldings. 
The firm now makes a specialty of plate and window 
glass, of which a large stock is constantly carried, and 
great care is exercised in putting in glass anywhere 
when ordered. A force of 25 expert men in the 
various departments of the industry is constantly 
employed. Special attention given to wood turning, 
in which they excel, both in artistic finish and dura- 
bility of the work. Sawing and planing and general 
jobbing is promptly attended to. The partnership 
was entered into in 1889 by S. J. and Charles Blossom, 
and the business has "been one of expansion ever 
since, every year witnessing an increased output. 

David Duff & Son. 

The coal business now conducted by David Duff & 
Son (David and John Duff) is the oldest in its line in 
New Bedford. It was originally established by a man 
named Crane. He was succeeded by Captain George 
Randall, who was followed by E. P. Haskell. The 
latter was succeeded by Parker & Haskell. 

The business was purchased from Parker & Haskell 




60 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



by David Duff & Son, June i, 1887. From the begin- 
ing under the management of the new firm, the trade 
rapidly increased and it was soon found necessary to 
enlarge the old quarters on Fish Island. The origi- 
nal sheds on the south side of the bridge and east 
side of the island were enlarged until now they have 
a capacity of about 5,000 tons. A new pocket was 
erected 112 by 38 feet in area, with a height of 
21 feet between the floor and the run. This pocket 
is provided with a hoisting apparatus of an im- 
proved pattern, and it has a capacity of 3,000 tons. 
The firm now handles over 50,000 tons annually, over 
ten times the amount that was handled when the 
business was purchased ten years ago. 

In 1893 '^he firm purchased property on the north 



Indeed this was the original business of the firm, in 
which line Mr. David Duff started in 1868, on Acush- 
net avenue, north of Ma.xfield street. Afterward the 
headquarters were transferred to Front street, to a 
building which occupied the present site of Armour 
& Co.'s new packing house. All sorts of general 
and heavy teaming and cartage is done. Safes 
and other heavy materials are moved, and a great 
deal of work is done for the mills and large cor- 
porations. 

The main office of the firm is in the basement of 
the Five Cent Saving bank, },/ Purchase street; a 
branch office is maintained at the North I'Lnd in the 
Wamsutta block, 669 Purchase street ; and there is 
also an office at the coal yards on Fish Island. The 




GREENE & WOOD — KI'XI 



side of the bridge, extending to the west side of the 
island, where there is excellent wharfage. Here an 
extensive run was erected to unload bituminous coal, 
brought in for the use of the cotton mills. A consid- 
erable business is now done in this line, and the .soft 
coal brought in here is at once carted to customers, 
so that very little storage facilities are needed. The 
entire area in both yards amounts to about five and a 
half acres, a much larger space than is occupied by 
any other local coal dealer. The wharf lines of the 
entire pro])erty on both sides of the island measure 
1,237 feet, anci the coal is brought in by large barges 
and schooners. A new stable and shed was built on 
the north side in 1896, and has accommodation for 70 
horses, which are all used by the firm iti the different 
departments of the business. 

David Duff & Son also do alari;c tcaniini: business. 



office for the teaming 
Mr, John Duff is no 
business. 



niana 



street. 
>i the 



Greene & Wood. 

The oldest and the most extensixe lumber business 
in the city of New Bedford is that conducted by 
(ireene & Wood. The lirm not onl\' deals in hnnber 
but also operates a planing and wodd wdikin^: mill. 

The business dates hack to tlic middle ol the cen- 
tury, having been started by Samuel Leonard in 1835, 
at the east side of Clark's Cove, near the present 
bathhouses. For many years all the timber was 
brought up into the cove and rafted ashore, .\ few 
years later -Mr. l.eonaiil built the present Leonard's 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



61 



wharf, removed the busi- 
ness there, where it has 
continued since. At the 
time of the removal to the 
new location, Samuel 
Leonard's son, Henry T. 
Leonard, took the business, 
forming a partnership with 
Augustus A. Greene, a 
prominent young carpenter 
who had come here from 
Providence to build the 
houses now owned by the 
estates of Abraham H. 
Howland, Miss Julia Del- 
ano and Frederick Grinnell. 
Under the firm style of 
Leonard & Greene, the 
business was continued un- 
til 1848, when Henry T. 





plete assortment of building lumber 
is kept on hand constantly, and this 
requires a large area of land to sort it 
and pile it conveniently for customers. 
This concern is the only one in the 
city dealing in southern pitch pinetim- 
1)01, plank, and boards, which the firm 
1 mds on its wharf direct from the south 
in \essels. Several large storage build- 
iii^^s contain the finished lumber and 
hiid woods. The illustrations give a 
geneial idea of the premises. 

As the years have passed the firm 
has extended its business to meet the 
changing character of the trade. The 
planing and wood working mill was 
burned Aug. 8, 18S8, and almost wholly 
destroyed, but was immediately rebuilt 
on a much larger scale, and fitted with 
the newest machinery and best appli- 



Ckkkne & \V.),,ij— Hakij Pine Vaku. 
Wood bought out Henry T. Leonard, 
and the style of the firm became Greene 
& Wood. Under this name it has re- 
mained for nearly fifty years, and in 
one location has carried on the business 
with success. Next year will conse- 
quently be the semi-centennial of the 
firm of Greene & Wood. iVIr. Greene 
retired in 1872 and Henry T. Wood 
died in 1883. The present firm con 
sists of William G. Wood, who entered 
it in 1861, and George R. Wood and 
Edmund Wood, who were admitted 
soon after the death of their father, in 
1883. The firm now owns and occu- 
pies nine acres of land on the water 
front, including a wharf, and the entire 
area is utilized in the business. A com- 




Greene & Wood — Storing Yard. 



62 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



ances for fine and accurate work. It occupies an area 
of 120 by 138 feet, two stories high, and is admirably 
adapted for handling lumber rapidly and economically. 
The dry kiln is a separate building 40 by So feet, two 
stories high. Here the Sturtevant hot blast drying 
process is employed, with a separate engine. Both 
these new buildings are well protected against fire by 
Grinnell automatic sprinklers and other appliances 
used by our cotton mills. In tills mill all kinds of 
planing, sawing and turning are done, some very 
heavy machines being em[)lnyetl. The firm now em- 
ploys forty men. 

Stephen C. Lowe. 

A man whose career is representative of the great 
changes that have taken place m the industrial and 
social conditions of New Bedford is Stephen C. Lowe. 
He has achieved very marked success, without any 





i.thu 11(1 th 111 his own tiui^\ ind iliihu ( oniing 
til Ni. u I H (111 lid hum 1 n.^1 111(1 u ith his p lu iits in his 
carl) (.hildliiMid, in his bojhood he woi ked m the 
Wamsiitla Mills lor years. As he grew up, not finding 
the scope in the cotton mills for the energy he pos- 
sessed, he engaged in various occupations. In 1875 
he went to Montreal, Canada, where he had some 
rclatixes, and obtained a situation in a large house- 
riirnishing concern. Here he reinained two years and 



obtained a good knowledge of business affairs and 
practical details. Returning to New Bedford he 
became the active manager of a stove and house-fur- 
nishing store in connection with which there was a 
plumbing and tinsmith business. In this situation 
he obtained a wide and varied e.vperience, and had an 
opportunity to e.xercise and develop his business 
talents for management and organization. 

Leaving this position, he started in 1883, at 635 
Purchase street, a house-furnishing store, dealing in 
stoves, ranges, etc., and he also carried on plumbing 
and tinsmithing. For years he had a hard struggle, 
but by stern application and persistence he slowly 
obtained a more substantial foothold. In 1889 and 
1 8go he enlarged his business by adding to it a line of 
mill supplies and furnishings of all kind, and this 
department increased on his hands to such an extent 
that it rapidly became the main portion of his busi- 
ness. He established sho]js in the rear of his store 
and engaged in the manufacture of a number of 
specialties. 

Finally the manufacturing branch of his business 
increased to such an e.xtent that larger and more cen- 
trally located quarters were needed. To provide such 
Mr. Lowe purchased the large three story frame 
building, Nos. 87 to 91 Union street, so long 
occupied by the offices and plant of the New Bedford 
Standard. Here he transferred his manufacturing, 
plumbing and tinsmithing and mill supply business 
in June 1895. The ground floor is occupied by the 
office and salesrooms, and in the rear are storerooms. 
The two upper floors are devoted to manufacturing, 
the main workroom being on the second floor, and 
the shops are equipped with the most modern ma- 
chinery necessary in the manufacture. 

A number of valuable specialties are manufactured, 
and Mr. Lowe owes his success chiefly to their e.xcel- 
lence and the skill and thoroughness with which they 
are fashioned. Chief among these are the"Needle- 
ing Combers," an English invention for use 
in the manipulation of cotton for the production of 
tine yarns, and which have come into wide use in 
New Bedford since the great increase in the spinning 
mills. Mr. Lowe equipped his shops with tools from 
England and went into the production of these com- 
bers extensively. They are known as the Heather- 
ington, Dobson & Barlow Combs. 1 le imports the 
fine needles from England by the million. The e.x- 
cellcnce of the work on these combers is such that 
Mr. Lowe not only supplies the city mills, but re- 
ceives orders from all over New ICngland, and from 
Philadelphia and New York and elsewhere. 

.Another specialty that has been very po])uIar is an 
oil cabinet made of galvanized sheet iron, with only 
one seam ; it is iron bound, strong and durable, with 
no liability to leakage and has been very popular in 
the local mills. The cabinet was first manufactured 
at tiie suggestion of Mr. William J. Kent, of the 
W'amsulta Mills, and many of the local mills are sup- 
l)lied with them. It is the invention of Mr. Lowe. 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



63 



Among the other articles of excellence Mr. Lowe 
manufactures, are cylinders for spinning frames and 
mules ; card screens ; oil drippers of original design ; 
comber waste boxes of galvanized iron, by means of 
which the danger from fire is avoided and space saved 
as compared with wooden boxes previously in use for 
this purpose ; roving cans ; cornices and gutters for 
buildings, which are made on a large " brake " located 
on the second story, and which weighs two tons. 
The manufacturing department is also fitted to re- 
pair anything in the mill supply line. 

A large stock of supplies is carried, consisting of 
wrought iron and brass pipe and cast iron pipe, 
which is kept on the first floor, but on the third floor 



land speculation. In 1895 he purchased the Homer 
estate on County street for $25,000, and sold it the 
present year for $37,000. He has also been suc- 
cessful in various other land deals. 

The French in New Bedford. 

New Bedford has a French population of nearly 
13,000 souls, divided into three parishes: Sacred Heart 
established in 1876; St. Hyacinthe in 1888 and St. 
Antoine in 1S95. Each of these parishes has a large 
and well equipped school, giving instruction yearly 
to 1,300 children. There is an asylum for young 
children whose mothers work in the mills. This asy- 
lum is also equipped as a kindergarden. 

P'ifty years ago there was not a l^^rench resident in 




^PECrALTIES MANUF.ACTURED UV S. C. LOWE, 87 To 91 UNION STREET. 



a full line of crockery, tanks, seats, and all sorts of 
fittings necessary for an extensive plumbing business 
are stored. These goods Mr. Low purchases by the 
car loads. For use in the mill supply department 
over 1,000 pounds of tacks are carried in stock. 

Mr. Lowe carries a very large stock of belting — 
single belts from one inch to eight inch, and double 
belts from two inch to twelve inch ; and is the New 
Bedford agent for the Union Belt Co. of F"all River. 
For several years he has been agent for the Crawford 
bicycle, and during the season of 1897 sold 218 
wheels. He also pays a great deal of attention to 
repairing bicycles, and has done a large business in 
this department. In his entire business, Mr. Lowe 
employs an average of thirty hands, and his weekly 
pay roll is $350. 

Mr. Lowe's present fortune was not all acquired in 
his business, but he has made considerable money by 



New Bedford. Some came here after the ci\-il war, 
but they began to come in large numbers about 1870. 
They have now six benevolent societies of which they 
are proud, and a daily newspaper " L' Echo dit Soir." 
They are represented in the common council by M. 
Joseph Magnant and in the banking business by M. 
Joseph Poisson, who is director of two banks. A 
great number of the l<"rench residents of New Bed- 
ford are American citizens, and take an active part in 
politics. A great number too, are proprietors of houses 
and land, some of them being quite wealthy. The 
real estates belonging to French citizens is valued at 
$902,053.00. 

All of the French citizens keep with great care the 
language and the religion of their fathers, but they 
nearly all speak English, and are proud to be Ameri- 
can citizens. They have amongst them doctors, 
merchants, justices of the peace, lawyers, overseers 
of the mills, real estate agents, etc. 

J. A. Cakon. 



64 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 




New Bedford Rubber Co. 

The New Bedford Rubber Co., 67 William street, 
wholesale and retail dealers in rubber goods and 



mill supplies, was started in October, 1895, by T. P. 
llimes, of Providence, who installed his brother, 
Raymond Himes, as manager. The business was 
conducted under the above management until June i, 
1897, when it was found necessary to make an assign- 
ment. The establishment was purchased of the 
assignee by the present owner, Harry E. Bortlen, who 
had had considerable experience in the line of mill 
su]5plies. Under Mr. Borden's management the trade 
has largely increased, and the company is rapidly 
attaining a leading position in its own specialties. 
Two salesmen are constantly employed. One devotes 
his time to the jobbing drug trade and local trade 
about the city, and the other sells the mechanical line 
of rubber goods to mills, shops, factories, steamboats, 
etc. The company makes a specialty of mackintoshes 
at reasonable prices, and also of oil cloth garments for 
seamen. The goods carried consist, in part, of hose, 
tubing, packing, sheeting, syringes, water bottles, 
blankets, boots and shoes, oil clothing, toys, police- 
men's and firemen's coats, etc. The line of mill and 
factory supplies comprise cotton and linen, unlined 
and lined hose, suction hose of all kinds, steam hose, 
fire hose; and garden hose ; sheet packing of every 
description, also fla.x packing; valves, hunters, and 
everything else in the rubber line. The company is 
sole agent and distributor for New Bedford, of the 
famous Knowlton packings. Special attention is given 
to the repairing of rubber goods. All goods are guar- 
anteed for a reasonable length of time, and if any. 
thing is found defective it is cheerfully made good. 
The emblem of the company is /f 



vt/iim: ill Riibbc. 




New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



65 



Gifford & Co. 

For many years the firm of Gift'ord & Co., have 
been leaders in the business community of New Bed- 
ford, and their store has always been a headquarters 
for first-class clothing. The business was started in 
1853, by Nathan T. Gifford, and for 41 years was 
located at 139 Union street, between Acushnet avenue 
and Second street. In 1894 the concern removed to 
the present large quarters, No. 22 Pleasant street, in 
the Masonic building. This is the new and attractive 



obtained a certain prestige. Mr. Parker purchased 
the business about eight years ago, and has conducted 
it successfully since then. 

The dimensions of the present store are 90x40 feet. 
It is well lighted at the front by large plate glass 
windows, and at the rear by ordinary windows. 
By this means excellent light is furnished in every 
part of the store, which is a great desideratum to cus- 
tomers in picking out goods. The manager of the 
business is William L. Bly. He was formerly mana- 




retail region of the city, and the store is almost oppo- 
site City Hall Park. 

The firm carries a full line of men's, boy's and 
youth's clothing, hats and caps, gentlemen's furnish- 
ings, underwear, hosiery and neckwear. The clothing 
is manufactured by first-class makers, and the firm 
makes a specialty of the garments made by Shuman 
& Co., of Boston, one of the largest manulacturers of 
clothing in the country. 

H. W. Parker, a well known citizen, whose family 
have contributed much to the development of New 
Bedford, is now the sole owner of the business. He 
has retained the old name because the business had 
been conducted under it so many years that it had 
9-H 



ger for three years, and has recently been re-engaged 
He has had a lengthy experience in this business, 
fifteen years in Boston and ten in New Bedford, and 
is a capable and courteous salesman. 

The Pedigree of Mrs. Hetty Green. 
Gideon Ilowland was a member of one of the most 
celebrated of whaling firms, I. Howland, Jr., & Co. 
He had two daughters, Sylvia Ann and Abigail. The 
former died in 1865, leaving a property of about 
$2,000,000. Abigail married Edward Mott Robinson, 
and their daughter, Hetty Howland Robinson, mar- 
ried Edward (Ireen, of New York. She is now reputed 
to be the wealthiest woman in America. Gideon How- 
landdiedin 1847. Miss Robinson was the heirtoS5,ooo,- 
000 from her father and g 1,000,000 from her aunt. 



66 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



J. & W. R. Wing & Co. 

The firms of J. &. W, 1^:. Win- and J. & W. R. 
Wing & Co. are anions; the oldest business houses 
in New Bedford, tlie firm of J. & W. R. Wing, 
having been established by Joseph Wing and Wil- 
liam R. Wing nearly fifty years ago. The firm of 
J. & W. R. Wing & Co. was established about 
thirty years ago, and has always been an extensive 
dealer in clothing, and at present carries a large 
stock of the best makes of clothing, hats, caps, 
and furnishings for men and boys, bicycle clothing, 
sweaters, shirts, golf hose, tennis and bathing 
suits, wraps and house coats and gowns, mackin- 
toshes, umbrellas, canes, jewelry, trunks, bags, etc. 

The firms occupy a fine three story brick build- 
ing of their own, Nos. 131 and 133 Union Street. 
The store has massive plate glass windows and 
polished oak fi.xtures. The present members of the 
firm ot J. & W. R. Wing & Co. are William R. 
Wing and John Wing. 

The firm of J. & W. R. Wing conduct a large 
and important business as managing owners and 
agents for whaling vessels, and as importers of 
s[3erm and whale oils and whalebone. 

Charles O. Brightman. 

One of the best known and most successful con- 
tractors and builders in New Bedford is Charles O. 





Brightman, whose ofifice 
and factory is in the old 
stone building 72 North 
Water street, corner of 
Rodman street. Mr. 
l^rightman established 
his business in 1879, 
and has met with alarge 
degree of success. He 
furnishes plans and 
estimates for all kinds 
of buildings, and has 
the reputation of being 
an expeditious and 
careful builder. The 
ixtent of his operation 
and Ihc character of his 
work can he readily 
indged from the build- 
ings he has erected, 
which are his best cre- 
dentials. 

Among the buildings 
which Mr. Brightman 
has erected are the fol- 
lowing: Wamsutta 



iKlOK 01-- J. .V W. K. WIN(. 



New Bedford Semi-Ccntcnnial Souvenir. 



67 



block, Purchase street; Has- 
kell & Tripp's block of stores ; 
Adelphi Rink, County street; 
Rowland Mills; Rotch Mills, 
Nos. I and 2; Columbia Mills, 
Nos. I and 2; Bennett Mill, 
No. 2; Lambeth Rope Mill; 
House of Correction, Union, 
County and Ash streets ; the 
residences of Charles M.Tripp, 
Clarence A. Cook, Charles S. 
Kelley, Edmund B. Wood, 
Frank R. Hadley, Charles M. 
I lussey, Samuel P. Richmond, 
John Duff; Episcopal Parish 
House; Unitarian Parish 
House; Emerson block, Union 
and Sixth streets; Union fni- 
Good Works building, Ahirket 
street; Sanford and Kelk')''s 
banking house building, Pleas- 
ant street; Five Cents Savings 
Bank building. Purchase 
street ; adilition to Parker 
House; Slocum building. Pur- 
chase and Middle streets ; St. Luke's Hospital build- 
ing; Madison Street School House and many others 
in New Bedford; United States Fish Commission 
building at Woods Holl, Mass.; Globe Yarn Mill, No. 
3, Fall River, Mass. Mr. Brightman employs none 
but competent and faithful workmen. 

New York Harket. 

A meat and general provision store, which from 
its size, the skill with which the goods are displa)'ed 





O. BRIGHTM.'\N S BUILDING, J2 NOKi'H \V.\TEK .STKKKT. 

in the windows and on the front of the premises, and 
the cleanness and neatness of all the goods and 
arrangements, attracts general attention and com- 
mendation, is the establishment of the New York 
Market at: 64 Purchase Street. It is directly oppo- 
site the Merchants Bank building, and has conse- 
quently one of the most central locations in the city. 
The store was established Oct. 14, 1892, and will 
therefore be five years old during the Semi-Centen- 
nial Celebration. A general line of the very best 
meats and provisions is kept in 
stock, including fresh and salt 
meats, all kinds of fruits and 
\ egetables in their season, and a 
specialty is made of turkeys, 
chickens, fowls, and all sorts of 
poultry. A very large assort- 
ment of the best brands of can- 
ned goods, including meats, veg- 
et ibles and fish is constantly 
I lined in stock, and the supply 
111 hand is very tastefully ar- 
1 mged so as to make an attrac- 
tive and picturesque display 
when viewed from the street. 
The store is noticeably attrac- 
tive. The fruit and vegetables 
are displayed at the front in a 
very inviting way, while every- 
thing is kept in an immaculate 
ondition of cleanliness in all 
: 1 irts of the store. Customers 
are attracted by these character- 



iNEW VOKK. MAKKEI 



68 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



istics, as everything displayed under such conditions 
looks good to eat. The store is large and roomy, about 
30 X 70 feet in dimensions. At the rear is an ice box 
14 X 14 feet, which reciuires twelve tons of ice to 
maintain a proper temperature. It is fitted with 
overhead railways from which meat carcasses are 
suspended and by means of which they can be readily 
handled. The ice is put in from the rear of the 
building by a skid. The trade of the store is with 
the leading hotels, the large boarding houses, and 
with the best class of families. 

The proprietor of the business is K. C. Brownell, 
who also personally conducts a similar establishment, 
known as the Fourth Ward Market, corner of Sixth 
and Market Streets oppo- 
site, the City Hall, under 
the firm name of E. C. 
Brownell & Co. The New 
York Market is managed 
by E. A. Hoxie, who has 
served in this capacity since 
It was started. Mr. Hoxie 
has had sixteen years' 



cabinets, etc. In less than a year this department 
had increased so rapidly, that a lease of the Waite 
Building, the next property adjoining the Wing Build- 
ing on the north, was secured for ten years, and a 
general line of furniture was at (jnce placed before 
the public. 

Meanwhile the business continued to increase 
in every department, so that the accommoda- 
tions in both the Wing and Waite Build- 
ings had become insufificient and inadequate for 
the trade, making it more and more difficult 
to attend to the wants of customers. Under these 
circumstances enlarged quarters were imperatively 
needed. Accordingly, early in 1897, the Manhattan 



experience 



this line of 



business, and he is a very 
energetic and capable mai- 
ketman. 

C. F. Wing. 

The largest department 
store dealing in caipets, 
drapery, furniture, ciock 
ery, house and kitchen fui 
nishing and specialties, at 
the present time, not onl} 
in New Bedford, but in 
Southern Massachusetts, 
is the emporium of C. F. 
Wing at 34 to 40 Purchase 
street. The premises are <. 1. \\i> 

larger and the business 

greater in its own line than that of an}' other concern 
in this region of country outside of Boston. The busi- 
ness was started in a modest way in 1X78, in a store 
which occupied the south half of the old Nathan 
Chase property, with a stock of dry goods and a small 
carpet department. The carpet business increased 
so rapidly, that after a few years, the dry goods de- 
partment was closed out and the whole store devoted 
to the carpet trade. This line under the new condi- 
tions increased more and more, so that enlarged 
quarters became necessary, and to accommodate the 
expanding business, the Wing Building, a three-story 
brick block, was erected in 1887, at which time de- 
partments of wall paper and draperies were added. 

The next radical change was made in 1890, when 
on the second floor of the Wing Building a small 
stock of furniture was put in, consisting principally 
of "Odd Pieces," including i)arlor jiicccs, fancy chairs. 




House property, owned by Mr. Michael Kane, was 
purchased by Mr. Wing, and he immediately began 
to erect a four-story brick building 65 x 88, which occu- 
pies all the area in the rear of the Wing Building and 
Spaulding property, and extends back to Hall's court. 
With this large addition the premises have a dei^th 
of 150 feet from Purchase street to Hall's court, ami 
a width of eighty-eight feet. This arrangement gives 
ample light both front and back. Between the old 
and new buildings, but within the limits of the addi- 
tion, is an oblong well twenty feet long by ten feet 
wide, extending from the first floor to the roof and 
surmounted by a glass roof which also aids very 
materially in furnishing light to e\ery floor of the old 
and new buildings. The new building is also furnished 
with excellent Morse electric elevators, both pas- 
senger and freight, running from the basement to top 
story, and the former is located just north of the 



New Bedford Semi-Ccntennial Souvenir. 



69 




C. F. WING CKOCKEKV DEl'AKI 

light well. The building was completed and arranged 
about October ist, so that everything is brand new 
and will well repay a visit at this time. 

The first floor of the new building is devoted to 
parlor furniture. The second is wholly given over 
to carpets, of which Mr. Wing carries the largest 
stock and best grades in the city. The third floor is 
reserved for cabinet furniture, bookcases, desks, and 
case work of all kinds. 
The fourth floor is occu- 
pied by the upholstery and 
carpet workrooms, which 
are fitted with the latest 
improved appliances used 
in these branches of work. 
The basement is devoted 
partly to storage and part- 
ly to a department stocked 
with oil cloths, linoleums, 
and other floor coverings 
of a practical character. 
All the rooms are con- 
nected with the ofifice by 
telephone. 

In the Wing Building, 
the old part of the store, 
only two floors are occu- 
pied at present. The third 
floor is used by the 
Knights of Pythias as a 
hall, but their lease will 
expire in July, 1898, 



at which time Mr. Wing 
will add thisspace to his es- 
tablishment. All that will 
be necessary to bring this 
I into communication with 

± , X.^^ the rest of the store will 

¥^^^ijgpJB be to break through the 
'' ^\ wall on each side of the 

light well. 

The wall paper dejiart- 
incnt, which is a large and 
tliiurishing part of the 
liusiness, is located at the 
rear end of the first floor 
of the Waite Building, 
while the balance of this 
floor is devoted to cham- 
ber suites including brass 
and iron bedsteads. 

An important feature 
iust introduced is a crock- 
iT)- department, which is 
' i located on the south side 

. ' nt the first floor of the 

,,.^T Wing Building. All 

grades of tableware are 
carried. The north side of this fioor is devoted to 
draperies and shades, in which line this store carries 
the finest stock in this section of the country. A 
large kitchen furnishing department is also conducted 
in the Wing Building. 

The new building as well as the original Wmg 
Building have been so constructed that they can be 
carried up several stories higher if the necessities 




70 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



of the business should require it in the future. The 
new building has a flat roof, and from it can be had 
one of the best views attainable of the harbor, the bay 
and the city. The whole water front is in range, and 
the majority of the great mills are in sight in the 
distance at either end of the city. 

From the beginning of the business Mr. James N. 
P'arker has been with Mr. Wing. At the start he 
managed the carpet department. He is now the 
general superintendent and has been a very efficient and 
faithful aid to Mr. Wing in building up the business. 
Mr. Ernest A. Jennings has been with the house since 
1880. He has charge of the buying in certain lines, 
and to his labors and energy much of the success of 
the enterprise is due. 

Pope's Island Manufacturing Corporation. 

The Pope's Island Manufacturing Corporation 
takes its name from the island it occupies, which is 
in the centre of the Acushnet River, midway between 
New Bedford and Fairhaven, and over which the 



to 26 inches. The sheet metal is especially adapted 
for use where plated metal is used. For drawing, 
spinning and stamping it is e.xcellent. It makes a 
\ery superior line of table ware, is easily worked, takes 
and retains a magnificent finish, and is very strong. 
For use in jewelry, ornaments, badges or novelties of 
any kind, it works easily and recpiircs no plating. 

The non-corrosive white metal has a beautiful 
white color, great strength, and is susceptible of a 
very high finish. It is malleable and ductile, and can 
be easily spun or drawn; is superior to ( ierman silver 
and aluminum in its working qualities, and in solder- 
ing and brazing it gives no trouble. Its color is about 
the same as that of coin silver, which is retained by 
the finished metal without plating. 

The non-corrosive white metal is also especially 
well adapted for harness and carriage trimmings, and 
for yacht and boat finishings. The corporation makes 
the only non-corrosive horse bit in the market out of 
this metal, for which a large trade has been secured 
all over the United States. The Massachusetts Char- 




long bridge, now in process of reconstruction, passes. 
The corporation was formed in 1891, under a charter 
from the State of Massachusetts, with a capital stock 
of ;^i63,ooo, for the purpose of manufacturing metals, 
especially non-corrosive metals in sheets, wire, and 
in special forms and articles. 

The foundry and machine shop was erected when 
the company was organized in 1891. The business 
increased ra])idly, and to keep up with the demand 
the rolling mill was erected in 1894. It has a capacity 
of three tons daily. In the works forty-five men, all 
skilled workmen, are constantly employed. The 
illustration on this page gives a very good idea of the 
extent and ai)pearance of the establishment. 

The plant ])roduces non-corrosive brass and (Ier- 
man silver, and white and bronze metals in sheets, 
wire, pigs and rods, for which there is a growing de- 
mand all o\er the country. F'oundry castings are also 
made to order. These metals are suitable for s]-)oons, 
forks, talkie ware, harness and carriage mountings, 
yacht and boat trimmings, jewelry, art work ancl 
novelties. The while and bronze metals are produced 
in sheets or rolls, to No, 36 15. & S. gauge, and widths 



( up. for 
■^ 1 1 ion for 
i/e metal 



itable Mechanics Associition ni 1 n 1 1 
medal to the Pope's Island M iiiiil i t 
the excellence of their new Ma iIIk ( 
harness trimmings, etc. Ihe phosi)hi 
produced is the best composition in the maiket at 
present for use in journals or bearings of shafting 
and machinery. The gold bronze closely imitates gold, 
its tensile strength is high, its working qualities very 
good, it is capable of taking and retaining a very high 
finish, and can be stamped, spun or drawn with greater 
facility than brass. As a jeweler's metal it is un- 
equalled by anything in the market, both in color and 
working quality, and is much superior to brass or 
oroide in its resistance to tarnish and corrosion. 

The industry carried on by this corporation is the 
only one of its kind in this part of the country, and 
the mill is the only one outside of the combination oi- 
trust. The corporation makes a special effort to reach 
jewelry manufacturers, to supply them with sheet 
metal and wire, especially the gold bioiizc, the white 
metal and the German silver. 

The phos|)hoi'-l)ic>nze which is produced formachin- 
eiy bearings, is known as "spermoliiie bearing 



New Bedford Semi-Centcnnial Souvenir. 



7J 






r 




E. T. CHAPMAN. 



metal," is especially adapted for high speed and 
heavy work, being hard and tough, and having lubri- 
cating qualities superior to anything of the kind in 
the market. 

The president of the Pope's Island Manufacturing 
Corporation is David B. Kempton. W. O. Sheldon 
is treasurer and is the active manager of the works 
and business. 

E. T. Chapman. 

The oldest cigar and tobacco business in New Bed- 
ford is that conducted by E. T. Chapman. His main 
store is at 66 William street, and a branch store is 



big fire which on Feb. 22, 1873, destroyed a number of 
buildings. The store was then started anew on 
Second street, between William and Union streets, 
but was soon moved back to Purchase street where it 
was located directly opposite the central engine house, 
in the premises now occupied by Schule Brothers. 
From there it was removed to the southeast cor- 
ner of William street and Acushnet avenue, on the 
site now occupied by the new postoffice, where it 
remained until the premises had to be vacated in 
order that the building might be pulled down to make 
way for the postoffice. At that time, which was in 
1887, Mr. Chapman secured his present quarters, 
southwest corner of William street and Acushnet 
avenue, where he has an attractive and commodious 
store. The branch store at 99 1-2 Union street was 
established in 1891. 

Mr. Chapman in his two stores carries the largest 
stock of cigars and tobacco in the city, including 
foreign and domestic cigars, and smoking and chewing 
tobacco. He is the proprietor of several special 
brands of cigars of excellent quality, among which 
the best known are "The Firm" and "Plymouth 
Club," 10 cent cigars; and "Chapman's Star Smoker" 
and "Seal of New Bedford" 5 cent cigars, and is like- 
wise proprietor of the well known brand of smoking 
and chewing tobacco "Chapman's 900," which he has 
sold for fifteen years. The store is also headquarters 
for J. Wright & Co.'s tobaccos, Lorrillard's, Dills, B. 
L. Planet, and all the other leading brands. A large 
variety of all kinds of pipes is constantly carried and 




INTERIOR E. T. CHAPMAN S CIGAK STORE. 

maintained at 991-2 Union street. Mr. Chapman the display in this department is well worthy of e.xam- 

, . , • • 00.0. ^u„ ,„„of o;,i» r>f ination by smokers. His line of meerschaums is the 

started in business in 1866 on the west side of ^^^^^ e.xtensive in the city. He also carries on a 

Purchase street, between Union and William streets, wholesale business and his delivery wagon is the finest 

where he remained until he was burned out in the ornamented in the city. 



11 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 




" THF. HACIENDA, 923 ACUSHNET AVENt 

Frank R. Pease. 

The Pease Prescriptinn Pharmacy, one <>( the lead- 
ing drug stores in the flourishing retail district of the 
North End, occupies the northwest corner of Cook & 
Smith's large building, " The Hacienda," 923 Acush- 
net avenue, corner of Cedar Grove street. It is one 
of the most complete and elegantly furnished drug 
stores in the whole city, and was established in this 
neighborhood ten years 
ago ; the present stand, 
four years. Mr. Pease, at 
his North End store, also 
deals in seeds and carries 
a full line to select from. 

Mr. Pease has been in 
the druggist business from 
boyhood, and graduated ;is 
a pharniacist undei' lln- 
ii.sl ruction .il his l.itluT, 
WilH.iin .A. I'.-asc. who l,>r 
many years coiuhu ti-d ihc 
apothecary's stnir in lliis 
city on The Hill. Alter 
learning his profession he 
had several years' e.xperi 
ence in l?oston in liist 
class drug stores. Mr. 
Pease is also a partiici 
with Pierre 1 )aii(liii mikI, 
Jr., in a drug store at the 
South luid, conducted un- 
der the firm name of Pease 
& Dandurand, Both stores 



are first-class pharma- 
cies, and are conducted 
in a first-class manner. 
Mr. Pease is one of 
the most energetic busi- 
ness men, and his am- 
bition coupled with 
that of other enterpris- 
ing men in the north 
and south ends of the 
city, has had much to 
do with the business 
development of these 
sections. As will be 
seen by the accompany- 
ing illustration of the 
interior of "The Haci- 
LMida," it is one of the 
largest and best equip- 
petl drug stores in the 
city, and the stock of 
goods carried is as fine 
as can be found in any 
first-class iiharmacy in 
N e w England. As the 
extreme north and south ends of the city represent the 
main manufacturing sections, such stores as "The 
Hacienda" are very much appreciated by theresidents, 
because they are able to purchase all they need with- 
out the necessity of going to the centre of the city to 
trade. The neighborhood of " The Hacienda" block 
is destined to be an important centre, many large busi- 
ness establishments having already been opened here. 




New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



73 



VIII. 

The City of To=day==Points of Interest== 

Public Improvements. 

New Bedford is seated on the western shore of the 
Ai'ushiiet River, a tidal inlet from Buzzard's Baj'. 

Tlif iiii|inl(ius jiortinii is about four miles in IcUL^th 
by t'niin tlir('c-(|iiiirtcrs to a mile wide, and this ter- 
ritory slopes yentl_y to the water, so that the place 
has an excellent natural drainage. The streets in 
general run north and south, and east and west, at 
right angles to each other. The lower streets near 
the wharves, ill the central part, are devoted to manu- 
facturing and shipping; the retail trade and the 
active liusiuess life is located chiefly on Purchase, 
Pleasant, Union and William streets, about the geo- 



acres each, and are both now occupied by manufac- 
turing anil shijiping establishments. Above the 
bridge and ishiinls is an upper harbor of almost as 
great an extent as tlu; main ]iarl)or. with wliicli it is 
connected by a narrow chainiel between the shores 
of New Bedford and Fish Island. 

While perhaps the Hon. W. W. Crapo in his cen- 
tennial oration in 1876, somewhat overshot the mark 
when he said that " this bay is as charming as the 
Bay of Naples," and that the " physical condition and 
position" of the city were "delightful beyond com- 
parison ;" yet lu! is so far justified that there are days 
in perfect weather when this opinion is almost wholly 
correct in essentials. A view of the harbor from one 
of the wharves, or from the old drawliridge in tlie 
early hours of a bright sunnner morning. \\ ith the 




CUSTOM HOUSE AND POST 

graphical centre of tlie popidous jiart of the city; the 
side streets, and these on the upper part, and on the 
top of the ridge, are (iceiipied by the homes of the 
people; and the cotton nianubietniing districts, with 
their huge mills, their tenement houses, and their 
own local business, are located at the north and south 
ends respectively. 

In front of the city the Acushnet River forms a 
tine harbor, about three-quarters of a mile wide by a 
mile long, with the wharves of New Bedford on the 
west side, anil tbuse of l'"airhaven on the east, 
while tlie entraiiee fiuiu lliizzard's Bay is protected 
by Palmer's Islainl. wiiich serves as a natural break- 
water. The iiortbiin limit, of the harbor is the 
New I'.eiU'onlauil Kairhaven bridge, about 4,000_ feet 
long, which spans the river in three separate sections, 
uniting l-'ish Island by a drawbridge witli New Bed- 
ford, next forming a link between Fish and Pope s 
Island, and then connecting the latter with tlie I'^iir- 
haven shore. These two islands are small, of a few 



OFFICE, WILLIAM STREET. 

shipping in the harbor to give life to the scene, and 
the shores of Fairhavenand Sconticut Neck affording 
a picturesque background, presents a most charming 
picture. The view of the bay from the heights of 
Mount Pleasant is also very i)eautitul. From Fair- 
haven, friaii Fnrt i'iieiiix, or from Palmer's Island 
the city presents a line appearance, with its fine water 
front, the old whalers in the foreground, the sailboats, 
yachts, schoonei-s, ships, steamei-s, and tugs at anchor, 
at the wliarves, or moving over the watei-s of the 
harbor; the spires of the churches and the roofs ol' 
the houses rising above the tree tops ; the whole city, 
on account of its situation on a slope lying parallel 
to the water, spread mit tn the view of the spectator. 
In respect to inaiitime advantages the city is well 
situated. Along the liaibor front are thirty-two sul>- 
staiitial wharves. The harlior has been deepened at 
various times by the National Govennuent. at a total 
exju'iise up to 1890 of 182,691.37. As a result of 
tliese operations a channel 18 feet deep and 200 feet 



74 



New Bedford Scmi-Centennial Souvenir. 



wide has been dredged fn)iii the (h'cp waters of the A linr system ..f electric street railways Irayerse 
bay helow Palmer's Island to the ( ily's wharves. An the vh\ in';ill directions and reach all the important 
extensive anchorage area <A an average depth of 15 suliiiil'.s. The lirst street lailway was put in opera- 
feet at mean low \yater exists in thi' centre of the tion in 1 ST:^ hv the New liedtonl and Fairlia\ .ii St rect 
liai'l>or- ihdlway Comj.anv. In 1 SS.", tlie Acuslmet Street 
Excellent ti-anspoitation hicilitics are fnridshed hy Kailwav Company was or-Miii/ed and hnill tricks ,11 
the Old (',,lony itailroad. The New liclfonl and throiigl, the city to ,M,n,pHe with the ,,lder c pany 




d uas,,p,.ned h,ilra\cl .liiU 1. |S4(). h.a rU n, 1 SST llie tuo,. 
valer M. 1S7:; I. Nyas con- nn.lcilhe name of 
lH'sl,.n. Chnlon and iMt.'lilmrg A pnMi,' water 

lta.lroa<l at ll,e s. lime. an,l on .Ian. I. ISTM. he- dam across ll,,. va 

'■■'""■ I'^'it "I' III" <)M ColonN s\s(cm. The ,aih-oa,l nnles ■( h , if the 

to hall l;i\ei' was hiiill in I sT.'i (1. 'I'lie rai 
station is at the North Ihid. on llie slmr,' of llic 
liarhorat tiie foot of l"cai-l si net : Iml trains d 
the siinuner lain a mile f 
wharf, to make connection.- 
ami .Nanliickct. 



was liisl pill in operation in 
'.". An additional siipplv. for nse during thv dry 
on.^was in I.SSil sc-ured hv tapping Little Quit^ 

■'^ '' h I"" miles mirth of the storage I'eservoir. 

to the steamboat As a result ol the great increase in mamifaeturing and 

Martha's \ine,yard of the growlh of th,- population after 1880, these 

sources of supply were taxed to their full capacity, 



New Bedford Semi-Centcnnial Souvenir. 



75 



tilt 



cessity of a better system became every 
;i|iliaient. After much negotiation and 
n ;ict was finally passed in 1894 by the 
iiuiv. authorizing the city to use the water 
It and Little Quittacas jjonds in Middle- 
lie lity council, on Nov. 8, 1894, api)ro- 
•_'()( I. (100 to carry out the ^jroject. This 
4 i> niiw nearly completed, and will put 
rd in possession of a water system suffic- 
city of twice its present size. The 
tlic ponds will be forced "through a 
ally iisiiig steel pipe eight miles long, 
(■ laii;r (listrihnting reservdir hiratcd upon 

-licst point of _^ 

unil 



til 



road 



stle 



New 



state l.-i 
of til,' (; 

bold, aii.l 

priateil > 

undciiak 

New 1;,mI 

lent for 

water of 

gra.b 

to tl 

the h 

land to Iir 

within a i 

distance fro 

Bedford — a poin 

called High Hill ii 

Dartmouth." 

The original sii| 
ply is very dark ii 
color, owing to tli 
fact that it islar-vl 
drained fnmi cxti'ii 
sive swamps; hu 
according to an anal 
vsis made by Prol 
William It. Xi, hols 
in 18s.',. it is who], 
some lor di-inkiii! 
and (hauestic us.'> 
Tlicncwwatn-, linw 



II be 



,1s. it 
lalh lin 



ditions favor that plan, while to r 
would require the erection of an i 
an enormous expense. The draw luiilgc will l>e re- 
located and widened. 

New I'.edford has recently developed an excellent 
system of public parks. TJie Common, on Purchase 
street, just west of the railroad, was until a few 
years ago the only public ground, and it was for a 
long time what the name implied, — a playground 
for the children, a ball ground for the lims, and 
the scene of public celebratiims. Many improvements 
have been made since 1S90. The Common is no longer 
what it was, liut is a, beautiful and well-cared- 
for little park, with 
more of the charac- 
ter of a public garden 
ai old-time 
own green. Brook- 
I \\ n Park, formerly 
lie estate of Daniel 
tson, the first 
storian of the city, 
■d ,,11 Acush- 

lie |iopul,,us portion 

le city, and is a 

r attractive 

ity. Button- 

w ii,,d Park, on 

K,inpton street, to 

III,' westward of the 

lity, has within its 

limits a large pond, 

^l^,l,lspopula tm 

M IlllK 



and ±,,rms a, marke, 
contrast to th 
"amber colore, 
fluid" the citizen 
are now oljliu'cl t' 




th 



city 
died 



The New Bed- 
bird and Fair- 
haven bridge was 
originally built in 
1796, was washed 
away in 1807, 

rebuilt soon after, and again ' destroyed in the Sep- 
tember gale of 1815. It was not again rebuilt until 
1819, and tlicn en,liired until its destruction by the 
Septcmher gale of ISd'.i. The fraiuliise of the bridge 
c,ir[iorat 1,111 was then purchase, 1. ami a new bridge 
erect,', 1. wliiili was finished in 1870, and opened as a 
free liii,lL;,'. I'h,' latter structure has endured to the 
present, but is now l)eing replaced by a strong and 
costly structure, 70 feet wide, the estimated cost of 
which is about !|400,000. The section between Fair- 
haven and Pope's Island is now about corajileted. 
The railroad grade crossing at the New Bedford end 
will probably be abolished, but whether by elevating 
the railroad or the roadway, has not, as yi't. bi'cn ,1c- 
cided. The elevation of the bridge an, I i'oa,lway 
would be far the best solution, as topograplii,-al con- 



ON. WILLIAM W. CR.'VPO. 



A number of fin 
chief among w^hich 
Hall, surroun,!,',] 1: 
ami William sti',','t 
of William an, L\,,r 



ntighh,) 

)it rux 

^ Ponit 

in iiid 

ml of th, 

Jk in, I , in be i( 

^^< ■■*1ri b> the Point 

ound ( 1 111 s 

Point p( lunsiil 1 ,)i ])\ 

Ml, 1,11, I',, lilt i\. 

,sstli. p, nmsuh 

bnice 1890 about 

1150,000 have been 

spent on these parks. 

hlic linildings adorn the city, 

the Piil)lic Library; the City 

ittle park, ('orner of Pleasant 

hi' Custom House, at corner 

', '011,1 street.s, erected in 1836; 



the Bristol County Court House, on County street, 
erected in 1831 ; the Jail and House of Correction, 
on Court and Union streets. The first jail was 
erected in 1829 — New Bedford became one of the 
shire towns of Bristol County in 1828. TJie new 
Post Office building, corner of William street and 
Acushnet avenue, was completed in 1893. Since 
1890 many fine business blocks have been erected in 
the central part of the city, and the princijial struc- 
tures are: Odd Fellows Building, corner of Pleas- 
ant and William streets; Ma.sonic Building, corner 



76 



New Bedford Semi-Centcnnial Souvenir. 




Hough, city editor of the StfiiidtinJ, William M. 
Einery, night editor of the Mcrnrri/, and Harry W. 
l)Utlfr, reporter on the Standard. The husiness of 
lioth papers is conducted by Geo. S. Fox. A French 
I hilly paper, L'Echo T)u Soir, is now published at 760 
I'un-liase Sti-eet, and the editor and manager is .1. 
A . ( 'a 1-. in. 77/,' nWudnN'Oi-y Shipj.hn, List, a weekly 
papiT whirh coiitaius complete lists of the whale- 
sliips. w here tlii'\- ai-c. tjicir catch in oil and bone, etc., 
ill tabulated Innn. was rstablishcd by Henry Undsey 
ill 1S4-"). was owned liy licnjaniin Lindsey from 185-3 
to is"-"), when it caiiic into the jjossession of E. P. 
i;a\ iimiid, w h., liail inana-ed it froml861. Mr. Ray- 



MAYOR CHARLES 



Union and Pleasant streets ; Merchants Hank ISiiild- 
ing, corner Purchase and William streets: Standard 
Building, Market street, opposite City Hall: Fi\e 
Cents Savings Bank Building, 87 Purchase street: 
and the building u{ the New Bedford Institution for 
Savings, corner rnimi and Fourth streets. These 
are all beautiful struct iires, in recent styles of archi- 
tectme. and add ureatlv to tlie aiipearance of the 
central s,M-ti,,n ut tlic ,ltv. 

Tlie wealthy whaling merchants eivcted large 

die years n\ the C'lltlirv. Ill reterelici. 1,, these 
(ici-v K. 'i'licker remarks: ••.Many of llicin are 
iinlnrniiiate in iheir architectural linisli. as thi'ir 
proud hilt iinlcltcred hiiilders enj<.incd ihe imitalhai 

„r the (irci; ■ Kniiian icmi'.lc. i'.ul uhu uill 

deiiv thev are i in | ,. .si i ig, and where \m11 \ mi lind in 
the',, Id e.anmeivial .ities u\ \r^^ Fn-land (itlu'r 
resid.'iices with such abninlaiit siiiT,aindiiigs ,,f gar- 
den and lawn.'" On Caintv si reel ami adjacent 

avenues arc main lein t \ | ,e Imhis.'S whi.'h eon- 

tra.sl n.ldlv with thcs,' ,,hh'r ,lwclliii-s. 

Tw,, daiU |,a|.,'rs are piihlishcd in the cily- the 
.']/,/■,•»/■// cslahlishc, I 1,\ licnjamiii I.indscvasa wi'cklv 
in ISOl.aiid as a daily in IS:',!. ami ihe Shni.h(nl. 
started in 1 s;,0 In lalniiiii.l Aiilhuny. and still cun- 
diiclclliN hiss.ms I'.dniiiiid and ll.ai janiiii Antli,ai\. 
The InniM.r is a morniii- an.l the latter an eyeiiing 

the cil\ is William I,. Sa\er. \\h<, uas c'dih.r of the 
^b■l■clll■^ tnan 1 MCi mil ill S'.i:',. diirin- which ],erind 

juiinial. SiiH'e IS'.i:; MrrSaMT has'cililiMl I h.' Sl.nnlard. 
■/ephairuh W. Peas,', the lavsciit cnll,M'l,,r oC I he |,nrl. 
is n,,w iMlitnr uf the M.rrur,!. He is a llmail and 
uraectnl wider and a man of scholarly tastes. 
William (1. Kirschluiim. rcp,,rter .ai the St.nnlanI 
and c,,rres|,oii,lciil of the li„sl.n, //r,-,,/,/. is a painslak- 
ing and hiislling im'W s-gathercr. Aniuiio the younger 
joiirnalists (K'sersing of mentiiai, arc Cicorge A. 



d it u. 



death 
d as a 



1889, since 
"le sheet by 



!!. I'hilli],s. 
dltion t,, its ,,tl 
ncality. the rate 
in New I'.edf 
the result or th, 
the assess,, rs. ( i, 



ailvaiitages as a manufae- 
taxati,,n has been greatly 
since IS'.i:',. This Nvas 
rrsisteiic,' ami courage of 
;,• Iv liriggs. wh,, was in- 
siriimeiital in raising the assessment mi large areas 
,il' \a,anl lanil, which had risen greatly in value l)e- 
,aiis,' ,,1' the pr,,ximity of the new factories and new 
li,,iises thai were erected during tlie booms in 1888 
an, I 1892. As in other cities, the large and wealthy 
I'slates were taxed lightly, and the people owning 
large areas were assesseil on a low yalnatioii, while 



in,jl. 



Ml 



. Hri 

'airs 



ilea 



re laxeil at a high 
to change this eon- 
c greater justice to 
all, and su,< ce,le,l at li-ast in a measure, although he 
met with much opposition and made many enemies. 
The statistics show what was accomplished. In 1893 
the valuation was $44,475,095, the rate of taxation 
*17.r)0. and the amount raised #804.290. The next 
\ear. whi'ii th,' n,'w plan eaine into operation, the val- 
iialimi was •<,l,l;'.4.'.iL'.",. the rate ■fl5.()0. and the 
am, ami rais,',l >^S-js.,-,44. In 1895 the valuation was 
>=o2.ii4:^.7:'>:!. th,' rat,' -^15.40, and the income s;8;!9.- 
2'.>S. In ism; the yaliiation was .f5i;.2Sl.l1 7. the 
rat,- s;!.-,. 40 Mil, I the income ^897. (179. The rat,' in 
1S97 was Aid. 20. 

Alth,,n-li N,'w i'.iMllonl has m,t reali/,,',1 an iileal 
,',,mlili,.n in her s,„'ial ,l,'ycl,,piiielit. sli,' has yet 

liy,' \,'ars.' Th,' si rn-.;le and cailiail ion of p,,lili;-s 
ali.l hiisiiu'ss. whil,' api,ar,'lill\ at tiiii.'s lull ,,r evil, 
has in th,- ,'11,1 lin,ii-lit h.rth -,„hI. ami ih,' ,,nll,M.k 
is ,',,iise,ineiitly h,,p,'liil lor th,' Inliiiv hoth 
,'ity its,'ir an,rih,' ,'oii,lil i,.;i o'' t!i,' |m',,i,I,.. 



he 



Charles S. Ashley. 

The present Mayor of New Bedford, Charles S. 
Ashley, is a native of the city. In 1876 he engaged 
in the clothing and gentlemen's furnishing business at 
72-78 Williams Street, and conducted it until recently 
at that location, the style of the firm being Ashley 
& Pierce. He was also interested for years, in the 
w'holesale provision business. He has represented 
his fellow citizens in the Common Council and on the 
Board of Aldermen, and besides his present term was 
mayor of the city in 1891-2. He was postmaster of 
New Bedford from 1893 to the present year. He is 
a member of the I. (). O. V., the Knights of Pythias, 
belongs to the Wamsutta, Dartmouth and Merchant 
Clubs of this city and to the Mayors' Club. 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



77 



SEMI-CENTENHIAL CELEBRATION. 



A Brief Summary of the Inception and 
Progress of the Undertal<ing. 



General Programme, List of Committees, Routes 

of the Processions, Industrial Exhibition 

and Preliminary List of Exhibitors. 

The idea of a Semi-Centennial Celebration of the 
incorporation of the city of New Bedford, is said to 
have been first publicly suggested by George F. Bart- 
lett, at a meeting of the Board of Trade in Septem- 
ber, 1896. It was favorably received, and a committee 
of the Board of Trade was appointed to bring the mat- 
ter before the city council. A joint special committee 
was appointed early the present year to make provi- 
sion for a celebration, and on March 26, 1897, the 
council voted to appropriate $8,000 for a semicenten- 
nial celebration provided the citizens raised ;g2,ooo by 
subscription. A public meeting was held in the City 
Hall on the evening of June 7, when this amount was 
pledged, and a committee of citizens was appointed 
to act in concert with the Board of Aldermen and the 
Common Council, the whole number to form a general 
committee to carry out the celebration. 

Nothwithstanding many differences of opinion as 
to the advisability of holding the celebration at this 
time, and considerable opposition, both covert and 
open, from conservative citizens, the committeelabored 
strenuously, and in the face of great discouragements 
and diiificulties has succeeded in organizing a celebra- 
tion of which the city may well be proud, and which 
will reflect honor not only on the members of the 
committee, but will be an unmistakable benefit to the 
community. 

GENERAL COMMITTEE. 

Cliainnan : 
Mayor CHARLES S. ASHLEY. 

Vice-chairman: 

STEPHEN A. BROWNELL, (Ex-Maym). 

Sea-ilary: Z. W. PEASE, (Collector of the Port). 

Trcasura-': JAMES H. HATHAWAY, (City Treasurer). 

Aide linen: 
Henry P. Jenney, Henry C. Denison, 
George A. Hough, Manuel V. Sylvia, 

Samuel C. Hunt, Samuel E. Bentley. 

Coitiicilnien : 



Ernest Findeisen, 
Stephen L. Finnel, 
Frederick L. Dawe, 
Joseph Magnant, 
Arthur L. Blackmer, 
William Bamford, 
George P. Bailey, 
William L. Chadwick, 
Oliver B. Davis, 
Walter A. Jenney, 
Clifton W. Bartlett, 



Frank A. ILibicht, 
Chas. H. Fuller, 
John A. Taylor, 
Robert L. Baylies, 
Clifton H. Cornish, 
Joseph Dias, 
Philip C. Russell, 
George N. Gardiner, 
Edward F. Penney, 
William J. Bullock, 
Joseph C. Warren. 



Abbott P. Smith, 
Martin P. Fichtenmayer, 
George E. Briggs, 
Joseph Poisson. 
Benjamm H. Anthony, 
Henry S. Hutchinson, 
Rev. James F. Clark, 
Joseph Dawson, 
J. Arthur Taylor, 
Chas. F. Shaw, 
Geo. R. Stetson, 
Robert F. Raymond, 
Geo. B. Richmond, 
James N. Parker, 
E. E. Rewick, 
Geo. S. Fox, 
E. C. Brownell, 
A. J. Alley, Jr., 
Albion T. Brownell, 
C. H. Gifford. 
J. C. Patnaude, 
Edward M. Peirce, 



David L. Parker, 
Daniel G. Dinnigan, 
John Duff, 
John McCullough, 
Wm. T. Taylor, 
Ralph T. Callowhill, 
Dr. A. F. Wyman, 
W. H. B. Remington, 
Harry W. Butler, 
George F. Bartlett, 
Rufus A. Soule, 
Edward J. A. Zeiner, 
Hoyland Smith, 
W. E. Hatch, 
Nathan C. Hathaway, 
Edmund Anthony, Jr. 
Thomas H. Knowles, 
Clement N. Swift, 
George H. Nye, 
Fred D. Stanley, 
L. Z. Normandin, 
William F. Williams, 



Sub=Committees. 

Conuiiitlec on Program — Clifton W. Bartlett, Henry 
S, Flutchinson, A. P. Smith, Dr. M. V. Silvia, 
Rev. Fr. James F. Clark. 

Committee on Industrial Exhibition — Geo. E. Briggs, 
Abbott P. Smith, Henry C. Denison, Clifton H. 
Cornish, Edward F. Penney. 

Executive Committee — George R. Stetson, Stephen 
L. Finnell, Benjamin H. Anthony, Frank A. 
Habicht, George E. Briggs. 

Committee on Gatheiing of Old Residents — George B. 
Richmond, Charles Y . Shaw. 

Committee on Special Cliurch Services — Robert F. 
Raymond, Rev. Fr. James F. Clark, Samuel C. 
Hunt, Joseph Poisson, Oliver B. Davis. 

Conunittee on Trades Procession — E. E. Rewick, 
Henry S. Hutchinson, Samuel C. Hunt, Edward 
F. Penney, James N. Parker, Edward M. Pierce. 

Committee on Alilitarv and Civic Parade— Dr. M. V. 
Sylvia, (leorge E. Briggs, J. Arthur Taylor, 
George N. (iardiner, Stephen L. Finnell, George 
S. Fox, William F. Williams. 

Committee on Invitations and Receptions — The Chair- 
man, Vice-Chairman, and Secretary, and Chair- 
men of all Sub-Committees. 

Committee on Publicity and Promotion — George A. 
Hough, Benjamin H. Anthony, S. A. Brownell, 
Dr. M. V. Sylvia. 

Committee on Museum — A. P. Smith, Nathan C. 
Hathaway, Edmund Anthony, Jr., Thos. PL 
Knowles, Clement N. Swift. 

Committee on Bicycle Parade — J. Arthur l^aylor, Dr. 
A. V. Wyman, Walter S. Jenney, Ralph T. Cal- 
lowhill, William Bamford, Hoyland Smith, Geo. 
H. Nye, Fred D. Stanley. 

Committee on Athletic Sports- Dr. M. \'. Sylvia, 
William J. Bullock, Clifton W. ]5artlett, D. G. 
Dinnigan, Joscjih Dias, Philip C. Russell. 

Committee on J/«.v/c— Abbott P. Smith, John Taylor, 
Thomas J. Gifford, E. J. A. Zeiner, S. C. Hunt. 

Committee on Transportation — Rufus A. Soule, F"red 
D. Stanley, Charles F. Shaw. 

Committee on Literary Exercises— Kohert T. Ray- 
mond, Rev. Fr. James F. Clark, David L. 
Parker, William T. Taylor, William E. Hatch. 

Committee on Badges — Joseph Dias, E. C. Brownell, 
Arthur L. Blackmer, Charles H. Fuller, K. E. 
Rewick, Frank A. Habicht. 



78 



New Bedford Semi-Centenriial Souvenir. 



Covnnittce on Printing- and Advertising — Clifton W. 

Bartlett, Henry S. Hutchinson, James N.Parker, 

Benjamin H. Anthony, Robert L. Baylies. 
Committee on /';(7/'(7-//Vj— Samuel C. Hunt, George 

E. Briggs, Martin P. fichtenmayer, Henry S. 

Hutchinson, E. E. Rewick. 
Committee on Illuminations and Decorations — Daniel 

G. Dinnigan, William T. Taylor, Ernest Findei- 

sen, James N. Parker, J. Arthur Taylor. 
Committee on Banquet — Rev. P'r. James F. Clark, 

Samuel C. Hunt, Abbott P. Smith, Robert F. 

Raymond, Thomas J. Gifford. 



PROGRAMME OF THE CELEBRATION. 

Sunday, October 10, 1897. 
Jo:30 A. M. Services in the different churches. 



8:oo P. M. Illuminated Bicycle Parade, starting from 

City Hall. 7 classes, 14 prizes. 
Industrial Exhibition open from 9:00 A. M to 10:00 P. M. 
Building on Weld Street. 
U. S. S. Amphitrite open for inspection daily. 

Tuesday, October 12, 1897. 

Governor's Day. 

10:30 A. M. Governor's salute of seventeen guns to be 
fired by the U. S. S, Amphitrite, on arri- 
val of Governor. 
11:00 A. M. Military and Civic Parade, starting from 
City Hall. 
1:00 P. M. Playout by Veteran Firemen, Park Square. 
3:00 P. M. Drill and concert by U. S. Artillery Com- 
pany and Band from Fort Adams, at 
Ruttonwood Park. 




Ni:\v liEPi-uKi' i.N'Di'siKiAi. i;.\ 1 1 1 1; im ix 
2:30 P. M, Service of song in tent on Union Street. 

Singing by the Semi-Centennial Chorus 
accompanied by band. 

Monday, October I J, 1897 

Three .salutes fired by the U. S. S. Amphitrite. 
9:00 A. M. Opening of Industrial Exhibition. Music, 
speeches by Hon. W. W. Crapo and 
others. 
10:00 to 10:3c A. M. Concert by the Semi-Centennial 

Band in tent on Union Street. 
10:30 A. M. Literary Exercises in the tent on Union St. 

Oration by George Fox Tucker. 
2:00 P. M. Handicap Bicycle Road Race on the Point 

Road; 20 miles, 22 prizes. 
3:00 P. M. Drill and Concert by U. S. Artillery and Band 
from Fort Adams, at Buttonwood Park. 



;l-|I,lilN(., WKI.l) STREET. — NORTH END. 

3:30 P. M. Review of First Regiment at Buttonwood Park. 
4:00 P. M. Dress Review of First Regiment at Button- 
wood Park. 
8:00 P. M. Dinner. Hon. H. M. Knowlton. toastmaster. 
Industrial Exhibition open from 10:00 A. M. to 10:00 P. M., 
Building on Weld Street. 
Three salutes fired by U. S. S. Amphitrite. 
U. S. S. Amphitrite open for inspection daily. 

Wednesday, October J 3, 1897. 

Merchant's Day. 
10:30 A. M. Trades Procession and Horse Parade, start- 
ing from City Hall. 
3:00 P. M. Drill and concert by U. S, Artillery Company 
and Band from Fort Adams, at Button- 
wood Park. 



New Bedford Semi-Cehterinial Souvenir. 



m 



Industrial Exhibition open from io:oo A. M. to io:oo P.iVI. 

Three salutes fired by U. S S. Amphitrite. 

U. S. S. Amphitrite open for inspection daily. 

Thursday, October J4, 1897. 

10:30 A. M. Literary and Musical Exercises in the tent 

on Union Street, arranged especially for 

school children. 

1:00 P. M. Whaleboat race on the river near East 

French Avenue, 3 prizes. 
2:00 P. M. Cutter race on the river near East French 
Avenue, between crews of Naval 
Companies from Newport, Fall River 
and New Bedford. Two prizes. 
3:00 P, M. Drill and concert U. S. Artillery Company, 
and Band from Fort Adams, at Button- 
wood Park. 
Industrial Exhibition open from 10:00 A. M. to 10:00 P.M., 
Building on Weld Street. 
Three salutes fired- by U. S. S. Amphitrite, 
U. S. S. Amphitrite open for inspection daily. 
Friday and Saturday, October 15, and 16, 1897. 
Industrial Exhibition at building on Weld Street, open from 
10:00 A. M. to 10:00 P. M. Music by band each 
evening. 

ROUTES OF THE PROCESSIONS. 

Bicycle Lantern Parade, Monday Oct. I J, at 8 p. m. 

F. D. Stanley, Chief Marshal. 
Formation on Pleasant street, Pleasant and Weld streets, 
Acushnet avenue. Sawyer, New County, Linden. 
County, Hillman, Cottage and Court streets, Rotch 
avenue, Hawthorn, Cottage, Dartmouth, Rockland, 
County and Cove streets,West French avenue ; counter- 
march. Cove, County, Sixth, Russell and Fifth streets 
to City Hall. 

Military and Civic Parade,Toesday Oct. 12, at JI a.m. 

City Hall, Pleasant, Fifth, Grinnell, County, Linden, Pleas- 
ant, Weld, Purchase, Maxfield and Pleasant streets, 
and pass in review at the Library building. 

Trades Procession, Wednesday Oct. 13, at 10.30 a. m. 

Hon. Stephen A. Brownell, Chief Marshal. 
Pleasant, Fifth and Wing streets, Acushnet avenue. Rivet, 

County, Linden, Pleasant, Weld. Purchase, William 

and Pleasant streets. 



BICYCLE RACES AND PARADE. 

Prizes for Bicycle Events at the Semi-Centennial 
Celebration, Monday, October 11. 

The principal events will be a road race on the 
noted Point road course and an illuminated parade. 
The prizes offered are : 

Class A. Club parading largest number of illuminated wheels, ist 
prize — Roll top desk, value $35 ; 2d prize — Morris chair, value $20. 

Class B. Club of not less than 15 uniformed members making finest 
display. 1st prize — Couch, value $35; 2d prize — Picture, 
value $18. 

Class C. Finest illuminated gentlemen's single wheel. 1st prize — 
Sideboard, value $18; 2d prize— Picture, value $12.50. 

Class D. Finest illuminated lady's single wheel. 1st prize — Solid 
silver brush and comb, value $6: 2d prize — Lady's Christy sad- 
dle, value $5. 



Class E. Finest costumed rider, decoration of wheel considered, lady 

or gentlemen. 1st prize — Marble clock, value $10; 2d prize — ■ 

Pair "Meteor" tires, value $7. 
Class F. Finest decorated tandem, ist prizes — Two pictures, value 

$7.50 each-$i5; 2d prizes — Two card cases, value $2.50each-$5. 
Class G. For L. A. W. members only, finest L. A. W. decoration. 

1st prize— Solid gold L. A. W. badge white plate, $7; 2d prize— 

L. A. W. pin, $3. 

The prizes for the 20 5-8 miles handicap road race 
are as follows : 

l>t time )irize — Diamond, value $40; 2d time prize — Gold watch, 
value $30; 

I St prizes — Gold watch, $50; 2d prize — China fish service, $25 ; 3d 
prize — Shot gun, $22.50; 4th prize — .Solid oak chamber set, 
$20: 5th prize— Suit clothes, (M. C. Swift & Sons), $15; 6th 
prize — French lamp, Dresden china, $12; 7th prize — Bicycle 
suit, $10; 8th prize — Marble clock, $8; gth prize — Traveling 
bag, $7.50; loth prize — Training robe, $7; nth prize — Pair 
" Meteor" tires, $7; 12th prize — Bicycle lantern, $5; I3lh prize 
— Racing saddle, $4; 14th prize — Sweater, $3.50; 15th prize — 
Silver card case, $3; 1 6th prize — Golf stocking, $1.50; 17th 
prize — Lampson luggage carrier, $1.50; i8th prize — Two cans 
"Vimoid,"$i; i gth prize — Cyclometer, $1 ; 20th prize — Golf 
cay, 75 cents. 

INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION. 

The leading industries of the city are well repre- 
sented in the building on Weld street, at the North 
End, the headquarters of the Exhibition. An illus- 
tration of the structure is shown on page 78. The 
hall and the exhibits are elaborately decorated. In 
the centre oi the building is the band stand, raised 
eight feet from the floor, and. underneath is a refresh- 
ment counter. The office and information bureau of 
the Semi-Centennial Committee is near the band 
stand. The following is a partial 

List of Exhibitors: 

Pairpoint Manufacturing Co., glass and silverware, (machin- 
ery in motion). 

New Bedford Copper Co. 

Morse Twist Drill and Machine Co. 

Strange Forge Drill and Tool Co. 

Johnson Typesetter Co., (typesetting machine in motion). 

W. S. Hill Electric Co., electric appliances, (Machinery in 
motion). 

New York Biscuit Co, 

Taber Art Co., engravings and art goods, (machinery in 
motion). 

George Kirby, Jr., paints. 

Brightman Bros., paints. 

George Delano's Sons, oils. 

William F. Nye. oils. 

George L. Brownell, carriages. 

Clarence Lowell, carriages. 

H.S. Hutchinson & Co., stationery, blankbooks and bindery. 

Weeden Manufacturing Co.. novelties. 

New Bedford Reed Co., loom reeds, (machinery in motion). 

Blossom Bros., planing mill. 

Fowler Loom Harness Factory, (machinery in motion). 

Padelford & Besse, sash-cord braiding machines.- 

Patrick Keane, cut glass. 

A. L. Blackmer Co., cut glass. 

Pope's Island Manufacturing Co.. metal novelties. 

Hathaway, Soule & Harrington, shoes, (machinery in mo- 
tion). 

Schuler Bros., shoes, (machinery in motion). 

Hedge, Lewis Manufacturing Co., eyelets and buttons 

T. M. Denham & Bros., shirts. 

Davis & Hatch Spice Co., spices, etc. 

L. A. Littlefield, silverplatmg. 

Thomas Hersom & Co., soaps. 

Chades F Gushing, carriages. 



New Bedford Scmi-Ccntennial Souvenir. 





m 


mm 


1';/' 



STOKE OF LOUIS E. SHUKTLEFF, 20 PURCH \sh 



Louis E. Shurtleff. 

An old-established store, which has long been the 
leading one in its line in New 15edford, is the retail 
jewelry business now conducted by Louis E. Shurtleff, 
at 20 Purchase street. The store was conducted for 
many years by Dexter & Maskins, then by C. W. 
Haskins, alone, and 
after that by H. S. 
Francis, who had been 
a watchmaker for Dex- 
ter & Haskins 30 years. 
Mr. Haskins died in 
1896. Mr. Francis con 
ducted the store from 
1893 to 1895, when lir 
was succeeded by tlic 
present propriety, 
Louis E. Shurtlcit 
He is a young man, and 
came to work for Mi 
Haskins in 1 891, as a 
watciunakcr, and re- 
mained in that capacit \ 
with Mr. Francis, f nil 1 1 
whom he purchased 
the business in 1895. 

The store has always 
carried the 1 a r g e s I 
stock, enjoyed the best 
reputation, and has had 
the cream of the trade 
in its line in the city. 
The stock now consists 
of a general line nf 

STORE OF H. 



age of surplus stock 
goods of the best quality 
reasonably as possible. 



first-class jewelry and watches, 
and special lines of sterling sil- 
verware, diamonds, novelties, 
French and American clocks, 
silk umbrellas, etc. Mr. Shurtleff 
also keeps chafing dishes in a 
large variety of patterns, at very 
reasonable prices, and supplies 
the utensils necessary to go with 
them, namely, chafing dish 
spoons, alcohol flagons, etc. 

Mr. Shurtleff has had fourteen 
years' experience in the jewelry 
trade. He learned the business 
with E. D. Tisdale & Son of 
Taunton, who conducted one of 
the best stores in the country. 
He has had a varied experience 
both as a watchmaker and sales- 
man. For three years he was a 
salesman in the diamond depart- 
ment for A. Stowell & Co., of 
Boston. In his employ at pre- 
sent he has an unusually good 
watchmaker, and two of his 
present clerks were with Mr. 
Haskins. The business occupies 
the entire building at this loca- 
tion, the upper story being de- 
voted to workrooms and thestor- 
Mr. Shurtleff aims first to supply 
and second to sell them as 



The 
ford is 



H. S. Hutchinson & Co. 

;ading book and stationery store in New Red- 
that of H. S. Hutchinson & Co., 198 to 202 




CO., 198 to 202 UNION STREET. 



New Bedford Scmi-Ccntennial Souvenir. 



8J 




OFFICE OF THE HEDGE, LEWIS MANUFACTURING CO 
Corner of First anil Rivet Streets. 

Union street. The business was established by S. 
Hutchinson in 1864, and was conducted by him until 
his death in 18S6, when his son H. S. Hutchinson suc- 
ceeded to the management. From the beginning 
until 1875 the store was located on Cheapside, now 
Pleasant street, and even in those days was the leader 
in its line. At that time it was removed to what was 
then 142 Union 
street, now 194, 
where it remained 
until iS93,whenthe 
present commodi- 
ous quarters were 
secured. These 
were formed by 
throwing two stores 
into one, making 
the present dimen- 
sions 34x99 feet, 
lighted at the front 
by two large plate 
glass windows. 

New Bedford, no 
doubt owing to her 
Quaker ancestry, 
and to the large 
wealth that earls- 
came to her, has 
always had a notice- 
able atmosphere of 
culture. For this 
reason there has 
been a good market 
for the best books 
— a much better 

II-H 



market, the book drummers 
say, than exists even to-day in 
cities of the same size. This 
condition has always existed, 
and the Hutchinsons, father 
and son, have catered to this 
demand intelligently and suc- 
cessfully. 

The store has always carried 
the best and largest stock of 
books and stationery in the 
city. When it was moved into 
the present quarters, artists' 
materials, music and pictures 
were added, and a workshop 
for fitting and making picture 
frames was also then started 
in the third story and is still 
maintained. In 1894 a book 
bindery and blank book man- 
ufactory was started at 93 Un- 
ion street. The present owners 
of the business are Mr. Hutch- 
inson and his mother, Mrs. E. 
H. Hutchinson. Mr. Hutchin- 
son was brought up in the book 
store, as during his school days 
he was constantly around on 
holidays and vacations. l'"or 
three years he was employed 
in a wholesale house in the 
book and stationery trade in Boston, and there acquired 
some of the experience that has enabled him so suc- 
cessfully to follow in his father's footsteps. 

Hedge, Lewis Manufacturing Company. 

In the old rivet factory, a substantial stone edifice, 
on the corner of First and Rivet Streets, which was 




THE HEDGE, LEWIS MANUFACTURING CO.— MACHINE ROOM. 



82 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 




C. S. JORDAN S STUDIO, 12 PURCHASE STREET. 



erected about 70 years ago, the Hedge, Lewis Manu_ 
facturing Company carry on a unique industry. 
Here they make shoe, gaiter and upholstery buttons 
from papier mache by machinery specially designed 
for the purpose, and the arrangements in use in the 
shops for handling the [jroduction are extremely 
effective and labor saving. 

This industry was started in 1888, in the jaremises 
on Acushnet Avenue, now occupied by the City 
Steam Laundry, by (i. H. Hedge and I'". H. Hard- 
man. Fifteen months later, on account of the in- 
creased demand for the goods, larger cpiarters were 
needed and the present factory was leased. Mr. 
Hardman retired soon after the business was started, 
Mr. Albert W. Lewis then purchased an interest, and 
the firm became Hedge, Lewis & Co., and conducted 
the manufacture successfully at the new location. 

Meanwhile in 1885 the lirm of Hedge, Lewis & Co., 
in association with ]). A. Corey and J. C. King 
started to manufacture spinning ring travelers in the 
upper .story of the factory on Rivet Street under the 
name of the Reliance Manufacturing Co. Mr. King 
afterwards withdrew and Mr. M. A. Wood purchased 
his interest. In 1895 the Reliance Manufacturing 
Co. was consolidated with Hedge, Lewis & Co., and 
the consolidation took the name of the Hedge, Lewis 
Manufacturing Co. The increase in the demand for 
buttons was so great that the coni|)any found it 
necessary to use the entire space in the Rivet Street 



factory, and accordingly the ring traveler branch 
f>f the business was removed to 5 Rodman Street 
on .September i, 1897, where it is conducted under 
the name of the Reliance Manufacturing Co., and 
Mr. D. A. Corey is the manager. Mr. Lewis is still a 
member of the Hedge, Lewis Manufacturing Co., but 
is at present employed in the office of the Westporl 
Manufacturing Co. Mr. G. H, Hedge the founder of 
the business is the treasurer and superintendent and 
to his practical knowledge much of the success of the 
industry is due. Mr. M. A. Wood is the secretary, 
and general salesman. At present the business is 
wholly under the management of Mr. Hedge and 
Mr. Wood. 

The processes of the manufacture are e.xtremely 
interesting. Three kinds of buttons are made, shoe, 
gaiter and upholstery, in all sizes, colors and styles. 
The raw material used is papier mache, which 
comes in sheets of about an eight of an inch in thick- 
ness. These are cut into strips which are fed into a 
machine that with steel dies cuts out round blanks. 

The latter after being rolled and hardened in a 
sijecially designed machine, are fed by a hopper into 
an automatic machine, which turns out the complete 
buttons with wire eyelets at the rate of 180 per min- 
ute. The buttons are then polished and colored by 
the aid of various very ingenious automatic contri- 
vances, which renders handling almost unnecessary, 
and are finally finished by being baked in large ovens 
at a high temperature . The machinery and appli- 
ances were especially designed by Mr. Hedge and 
the other members of the firm, and they have been 
greatly improved since the origin of the business so 
that they produce 150 per cent, more than at first. 
The production is now so large that supplies of 
papier mache and of wire are brought in by the 
car load. The buttons are sold all over the United 
States, and a very large e.xport trade has been de- 
veloped to England, Germany, France, Austria, Italy 
and South America ; at the Industrial E.xhibition 
the company will make an e.xhibit of all stages of 
the product m process of manufacture and of finished 
buttons of all kinds. 

The stone building now occupied is said to have 
been built by one of the Grinnell's as a rivet factory 
about 1830, was afterward used for various pur- 
poses, and was utilized by some of the cotton mills in 
the vicinity. It is 120 x 45 feet in dimensions, two 
stoiies high, and now has an ell for the engine which 
opei'atcs the iiKuhinery. .Al.mut twentv hands are 
employed. 

C. S. Jordan. 

C. S. Jordan's photograph gallery at u Purchase 
.Street, is the oldest stand in the city for tiiis line of 
work, it ha\ing been established somewhere about the 
time of the incorporation of the city go\ernment, fifty 
years ago. Mr. Jordan is an aitist af acknowledged 
ability, as his high-class productions plainly show, 
and his studio is well equipped with modern appli- 
ances for doing artistic work. Most of the negatives 
used in producing the prints for this book are in Mr. 
Jordan's possession, and any person desiring prints 
from them can secure them bv apjilving at his place 
of business. 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



83 



' twist drills " by the 



The Strange Forged Drill & Tool Co. succeeded in making accurate 

The twist drill was a great improvement on the new process. 

old-fashioned straight machine drill, giving a better After perfecting and patenting the process, he went 

cutting edge and being easier kept in order, but its through many tribulations as a manufacturer, and it is 




THE STRANGE FORGED DRILL AND TOOL CO. — FORGE ROOM. 

manufacture was a costly process. The groves had only quite recently that a strong company has been 

to be milled out of a bar of steel, the full size of the formed under the name of Strange Forged Drill & 

finished tool. This was a costly process both in labor Tool Co., of New Bedford, Mass., and is now making all 

and in waste of material. There were also qualities of sizes of forged twist drills in large quantities. Owing 




•R.\N(;E forged drill and tool CO. — machine ROOM. 



steel so hard that they could not be milled, and though 
very desirable for some classes of work, for the above 
reasons could not be used. A veteran blacksmith 
conceived the idea of forging the twist in the drill 
instead of milling it, and after much experimenting. 



to the small amount of labor required in making the 
forged drills as compared with the milled drills, and 
also the fact that there is practically no waste of 
metal, the new drills can be made for less money than 
the old style, and yet exhaustive tests would show 



84 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



that their wearing qualities are very superior. A 
prominent machine manufacturing company of In- 
diana, reports giving the forged drills a test on some 
special machinery steel, three and one-fourth inches 
in diameter and says: "The best results we had ever 
previously got out of any drill, was to drill two holes 
that would be equal to drilling through six and a half 
inches. Then we would have to stop and grind. With 
your forged drills we have drilled nine holes, or twenty- 
nine and one-fourth inches, without a stop to grind." 
The company are also now making to order drills out 
of the celebrated " Mushet " self-hardening steel, and 
claim that this is the only process by which a perfect 
drill can be made from this celebrated steel. So con- 
fident are the officers of the company that their drills 



of building lumber, which is mostly brought here in 
vessels and unloaded at the wharf of the Wamsutta 
Mills, foot of Wamsutta street. Spruce and hemlock 
timber and shingles are received from Down East, by 
vessels ; clapboards and pine from West Virginia and 
other parts of the South by cars. The lumber has 
been mostly sold in the vicinity to the builders and 
contractors who have done so much construction 
during the past few years in this part of the city at 
the time of the booms resulting from the erection of 
the cotton mills. From six to fifteen men are em- 
ployed in and about the lumberyard. The members of 
the firm are l-^lias Terry, and his son K. Clifton Terry. 

Fournier & Nicholson. 

Among the leading industrial establishments at the 
North luid of New Bedford at present is the plan- 




will do all that is claimed for them, that they are 
willing to send a sample to all responsible manufac- 
turers who will undertake to give them a fair test. 
The company are also making a new and improved 
chuck that is very much liked by all who have used it. 

E. & K. C. Terry. 

Between Bowditch street and the railroad tracks at 
the North luid of the city, is the extensive lumber 
yards of E. &. K. C. Terry. The f)rnce of the firm is 
at 27 to 29 Bowditch street. The premi.ses comprise 
an area of about two acres, on which are five lumber 
sheds of the following dimensions : one 185 X20 feet ; 
two each 60 x 20 feet and two each 200 x 50 feet. 

The business was established at this location in 
1892, by the present firm, the members of which had, 
however, had considerable experience m this line else- 
where. The firm carries a large general assortment 



ing mill of l<'oui-nier & Nicholson, at 31 to 35 Imiw- 
ditch street. The business was established at this 
location in 1892 by the present firm. The original 
mill was 40 x 125 feet in dimensions, but an addition 
of 25x60 feet was built in 1894. About one hun- 
dred and lifty feet north of the mill are two store- 
houses, one j6 X 40 feet, and two stories in height, 
and the otlier 24 x 36 feet, three stories in height, 
The mill is provided with all modern machinery and 
conveniences, and doors, sashes and blinds are maiui 
factnrcd in large (|uantitics, while window frames, 
mouldings and brackets are also tinned out. All 
kinds of work is done to order in planing, turnuig and 
circular sawing. In the storehouse about 1,600 doors, 
1,000 windows of sash and 1,000 pairs blinds are kc])! 
on hand constantly in stock sizes, so that the demands 
of builders can be sui)]jlied readily and quickly. 



New Bedford Semi-Ccntennial Souvenir. 



85 




About fifteen men, all skilled workmen, are constantly 
employed. The members of the firm are E. F"ournier 
and J. G. Nicholson. Mr. Fournier has had many 
years' practical experience in this industry, and he is 
the superintendent of the planing mill, for which his 
skill and mechanical ability amply fits him. Mr. 
Nicholson is the financial manager and the salesman, 
and conducts the office business. To his acumen 
much of the success of the enterprise is due. The 
firm started practically without capital, but has been 
\ery prosperous, and now is on 
an exceptionally good financi; 
foundation. 



was engaged several years. Al- 
though his shop has only been 
in operation a few months it is 
the best ec|ui|)ped repair shop 
in the country,and the only one 
that accomplishes the work by 
machinery. The machines used 
are stitchers, sewers, nailers 
and finishers, the same as are 
used in shoe factories. Mr. 
Tripp's plant has a capacity of 
turning out twelve pairs of new 
shoes daily, but 40 pairs can be 
repaired with the present force 
of employees, although the 
capacity in repairing is practi- 
cally unlimited. 

The followingquotation from 
the Boot and S/iof Rconicr of 
June 23, 1897, shows that the 
I easonableness of Mr. Tripp's 
method is recognized by ex- 
perts, but he had put the idea 
into effect before this opinion 
was written : 

" II is only a matter of time before 
machinery run by power will lie intro- 
duced to do shoe repairing. As it has been 
proven that the mending goes to the shoe 
stores more and more everj' day, my idea is 
ho together employ 8 or 10 men, sublet the work 
to one man, he could afford to fit up a shop with power and machinery. 
The work could then be so sulidivided there as to make each worl:- 
nian an expert in these branches. The public would get better work 
for the same money, and the stores would make more money and less 
trouble than they have now with their men cramped up in some cor- 
ner without the least facilities for their work, shelf worn goods could 
be fixed up better and it would be an improvement all round." 

Mr. Tripp has found that he can do an independent 
business at least at present, much better than by 
working for the stores, and he has de\'eloped an 
excellent trade, which is constantly increasing in 
amount. 



Bradford D. Tripp. 

Progress in industry is ac- 
complished not only by the 
invention of new machinery 
but by the application of new 
methods to old conditions. Mr. 
Bradford D. Tripp has succeed- 
ed in an endeavor of the latter 
kind at his shop 92 Pleasant 
street, New Bedford, where he- 
has adjusted the machinery of 
the modern shoe factory to the 
task of repairing shoes. This 
seems at first sight a very sim- 
ple thing, but it has never been 
done before — Mr. Tripp is the 
pioneer — and its success will 
revolutionize shoe repairing. 

Mr. Tripp started his present 
shop Feb. 15, 1897. The idea 
occurred to him several years 
ago when working in the Brock- 
ton shoe factories where he 




BRADFOKU D. TKIPPS .SHOE KEPAIK 



PLEASANT STREET. 



86 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



Benjamin Dawson & Son. 

In 1868, when New Bedford was just about entering 
upon her career as a manufacturing city, and all the 
cotton manufacture in its limits was carried on in the 
three stone mills of the Wamsutta Corporation, Ben- 
jamin Dawson started a small grocery store on the 
southeast corner of Purchase and Merrimac streets. 
He understood the wants of the people in his vicinity. 
As new mills were built he gradually increased his 
business and in the course of time accumulated con- 
siderable property. In 1880 he erected a three story 
brick building, corner of Purchase and Hazard streets, 
into which he removed his grocery store. 

Two years later he transformed his business, and 



concern imports the finest brands of wines, brandies, 
ales and stout from the old world, among which are : G. 
H. Munm & Co.'s Champagnes, Duff Gordon Sherries, 
Cossart Gorden Madeiras, Morgan & Ofifley's Ports ; 
Hennessey, Martell & Co.'s, Otard Depuy & Co.'s 
and Bisquit Dubouche & Co.'s brandies ; Bass & Co.'s 
and S. Allsop & Sons' English Ales from Burton-on- 
Trent; and Guinness' Dublin Stout. The firm sup- 
plies the first-class family and local trade of the city, 
with both domestic and foreign liquors. 

The senior partner Benjamin Dawson for many 
years took a very active part in politics. He was a 
member of the common council four years, served two 
years in the board of alderman, and for one year was 




hecanic an importer and wholesale wine and spirit 
merchant. Success crowned his efforts, and he has 
been one of the chief dealers in this line in the city. 
In the early part of the jsrescnt year his son Joseph 
was admitted to a partnership, and the business is now 
conducted under the style of Iknjamin Dawson & Son, 

The firm occupies the lower floor of the building 
corner Hazard and Purchase Streets. It is agent for 
Frank Jones Brewing Co., N. H., fine golden and 
cream ales; Bowler Bros., Worcester, Mass., sparkling 
and matchless ales and porter ; liartholomay Brewing 
Co., Rochester, N. Y., fine beers; J. H. Cutter's 
VVhi,skeys; W. A. (kunes & Co., Kentucky Old Her- 
mitage Rye and Old Crow Bourbon, and also receives 
all the fine Kentucky Bourbons and Maryland Rye 
Whiskies. 

Besides this line of leading domestic products the 



overseer of the poor. He has always been a Demo- 
crat. Joseph Dawson was also a city councilman for 
four years, and the last year of his service was presi- 
dent of the body, when by virtue of his position he 
was e.N-olTicio a member of the board of public works 
and of all the iirinciixal committees. 

Tichon & Foster. 

Tichon & Foster, machinists, 8 Seneca street, have 
developed a fine business as steam engine and mill 
repairers. The members of the firm, Joseph li. 
Tichon and Henry S. l-'oster, are practical mechanics. 
By attending directly to their own work, and hustling 
around among the mills they have secured numerous 
orders, and now have work for half a dozen men. 
Particular attention is paid to the repairing of steel 
rolls, flyers, pressers and bolsters, shafting, hangers 
and pulleys, and all kinds of loom cranks. New 
machinery has recently been added 



New Bedford Semi-Ccntennial Souvenir. 



87 




ALLEN SMITH, JR., LIVERY, HACK AND BOARDING ST. 

Allen Smith, Jr. 

One of the oldest livery, hack and boarding stables 
in the city of New Bedford at the present time is 
that conducted by Allen Smith, Jr., at ^8 Bedford 
Street. The business was established about 40 years 
ago by Harvey Sherman, and Samuel Bliss, who con- 
ducted it under the firm name of Sherman & Bliss. 

Mr. Sherman eventually sold out and Mr. Bliss 
then conducted it alone. He was followed by Anthony 
& Lapham, who were succeeded by Cornell & Lap- 
ham, I. L. Ashley, and Eugene Hayden. Allen Smith, 
Jr., entered the business as an as- 
sociate of Mr. Hayden, and they 
formed the firm of Hayden & 
Smith. In 1892 Mr. Hayden re- 
tired, and since then Mr. Smith has 
conducted the stable under his own 
name. The stable is large and well 
appointed, and has accommoda- 
tions for thirty-five horses. The 
best trade is catered to and secur- 
ed. The stable is open day and 
night. A specialty is made of fur- 
nishing hacks for funerals, wed- 
dmgs, christenings and private 
parties, and they are always kept 
in first-class condition. All the 
hacks now in use are new. Special 
attention is given to catering for 
the trade of transient visitors to 
the city, and any of the out-of-town 
people who are here to see the 
celebration can secure a carriage 
in short order by telephoning to 
Mr. Smith — his number is 357-3 — 
and orders so received are prompt- 
ly filled. Many horses are boarded 
at the stable. Their owners can 
be certain from past experience 



that the equines will always 
receive the best of care. 



S. T. Rex. 

On Dartmouth Street, oppo- 
site the Rural Cemetery, S. T. 
Rex carries on a general mon- 
umental business, cutting mar- 
ble and granite headstones and 
mortuary monuments and all 
kinds of cemetery work. He 
employs on an average about 
half a dozen men. Mr. Rex is 
himself a very expert stone cut- 
ter. He learned his trade 23 
years ago at the Rhode Island 
Granite Works, Westerly, R. I. 
where he worked for seven or 
eight years. He then worked 
two years and a half for Charles 
P. Chapman, Westerly, and af- 
ter that spent a year at Groton, 
Conn., in the same business. 
From there he went to Ouincy, 
Mass., where he livedlor ten 
years, working as a journeyman 
at his trade part of the time, 
but for three years he had 
LE, 38 r.EDFORD ST. charge of E. C. Williston's 
granite yard, with an oversight 
over a force of from fifty to eighty men. For one 
year also he was in business for himself in Ouincy. 
He came to New Bedford in April 1894 and 
bought out the stone yard he now conducts from 
Swithin Brothers, of Ouincy, who conducted it as a 
branch business. He has conducted the business 
successfully. He does work for all the cemeteries in 
New Bedford and has carried monuments and stones 
to Boston, Providence and Worcester. He is the 
only thoroughly experienced and practical man in the 
working of granite in the city. 




T. REX, MONUMENTAL WORKS, DARTMOUTH STREEI 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



MYRON FISH. TREASURER. 



J. H KENDRICK. AGENT. 



AMEqiGAN SUPPIiY COMPANY, 



and 13 EDDY STREET, 

PROVIDENCE, R. L 

. ' . MANUFACTURERS OF . . 

LEATHER BELTING, 

LOOM HARNESS, 

WEAVERS' REEDS, 
WIRE H EDDLES, 

LEATI-IER PICKERS, 

^^ LOOM STRAPPING. 

. . . DEALERS IN . . . 

Shuttles, Spools and Bobbins' Spinning Rings, Ring Travellers, 

Spinning Bands and Mule Banding, Roving Cans and Boxes. 

FURNISHING NEW COTTON MILLS A SPECIALTY. 



TICHON 
FOSTER. 

HACHINISTS 



DRISCOLL, CHURCH & HALL, 
WHOLESALE GROCERS. 




STEAM ENGINE and 
MILL REPAIRING. 

liuiikliii- Stcc'l Ri.lls, Mvns, 
Pivssrs aiul Hdlstns. 

SHAl-TIN(i, HAN(iliUS AND I'ULLKYS. 
ALL KINDS ()L- L(X:)M CKANKS. 

8 SENECA STREET, 

A Short Distance North of thf Railway Station, 
NEW BEUFORU, MASS. 







FINE CIGARS. 

82=84 UNION STKEUT, NEW BEDFORD, MASS. 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir, 



89 







n I ■! 
[II 



Our Exhibit at Providence Board of Trade Exposition, June, 1897. 



Manufacturers of 

SPOOLING 
MACHINERY 

tfililliilililllililiijliiiiilijiililllilir 

PAWTUCKET. R. I., 

U. S. A. 



C>ure Water Supply. .^^*x 



O. M. PATT & eO. 

WELLS 



eontractors for 

Artesian, Driven and 

Hydraulic 

Dry Wells Deepened. Also Drilling for Hydraulic Elevators. Personal 
Attention Given to all Jobs. Correspondence Solicited. 
Best of References Given. 






Shop, 174 Indiana Avenue. OffiCC, 44 CustOHl HoUSC St., PrOVidenCC, R. I. 

Draws (hundreds of People 

My new method of Iroatin}; Curiis, /yiiiiioiis, //;t,V()7<';Hi,' 
\':i,'., etc. \(. false iiromises. No tedious treatment. On 
i,v, i|>i Ml J5 ,-, 111,. / ,r : Ou„ Cure will be sent by mail. 
Sill. cl(,iili 1m r,,ni-., liiiiiiMiis and warts. I'rciitli Pain 
/' .1 - ni' - il.iiinii! Ill, joint afflictions, lame back, 
~lii;iinv, sol, tin- Ml. I, i.ili.ulic, headache; by mail, 25 cts. 
Uil of 'I'lu'iiuiiiil J\'iis,:', a preparation for the hair, has no 
e(iual. French Crcnni cures chajiped hands, cuts, burns, 
piles. J'rent'k Pomade for finger nails; French Xaii 
/'.luhJer.- l-reneh Ennw.l for the teelli; by mnil i,. anv 
aildress, 25 cents. 

Dr* H, A. Razoux^ 

SURGEON CHIROPODIST, 

210 UNION STREET, 




90 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



=^^^*^^i Material 
Best S workmanship 

Results 



a®®®®®®®^^; 




ARE WHAT HAVE MADE THE 



Cotton Machinery 

OF THE 

A. T. Atherton Machine Co. 

THE MOST POPULAR 

AND EXTENSIVELY USED TO-DAY. 

Estimates Cl7eer?ullcj Given on Hew Plans, or l^emodelipg 

Old Ones. 

PAWTUOKET, R. I. 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir, 



■ 1 .' . 



^ itC/J4/^®I!l 






THOS. HERSOM & CO. ^f^^^ P ^"""^"'^ '" ^""^ ^"'^ 

^„„„„c,u^„.o^ cJW^Irilll'^ o "ITALIAN SAPONE." 

Office, Cor. Front and Commercial Sts., New Bedford, Mass. Factory at Head of the River. Telephone Connection. 



Book .<^^ News Depot 

All kinds of Books, Magazines, Newspapers, etc., 
Both Foreign and Domestic, can be liad here. 

Subscriptions 

TO THE ABOVE TAKEN AT ANY TIME. 

Libraries . 

Will be given estimates for Periodicals, Newspapers, etc., both 
Foreign and Domestic, upon application 

Fine Stationery, Pens, ink. Road Maps, Fancy Papers, 

Plaving Cards, Paper Napkins, etc., in Large Variety at tlie Ver\' Lowest Prices. 



WE GIVE TRADING COUPONS. -m\ 



Qeorge L. B^^^gg^^' Newsdealer and Stationer, 

162 Purchase Street. Telephone 526=4. 



^(ij(^f:j,(l^^(s)(^M^(il^(^li)^^ 



VI 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



HIRAM VAN CAMPEN. 



JOHN W. PAUL. 



HIRAM VAN CAM PEN <& CO.. 

General Insurance Agents. 



No. 97 WILLIAM STREET, 



ROOM 303, MERCHANTS BANK BLDG. 



NEW BEDFORD. MASS. 



J^yenci/ established ^. 0. /S52. Tjhe oiciest continuous affcnct/ in t/ie city. ynsurance to any 

amount promptty effected in any department of the business. J'ire, <£ife, .Occident, !P/ate 

Slass, employers' ,£iabi/ity, public jCiabiiity and jCand/ords' J^iability. 

J'iyents for Stmerican Surety Company of Vfew 2/or/(. 

FIDELITY AND SURETY BONDS PROMPTLY SECURED. 



"INSURANCE THAT INSURESI" 




GROW & HART 



2a PLEASANT STREET 

Opp. NfW ?l;indarJ Buildiivj; 

NEW BEDFORD 

MASS. 



Hzvrpess 




I^epalrlng promptly attended to 






^ocArcf S^ooAs, 



Defective Eyesight 



Caused by the need of glasses or by glasses 
that do not fit properly. We make a 
specialty of difficult cases, and have the 
latest instruments to measure all defects of 
sight. 

Examination Free. 



C. W. HLIRLL. 



Opt 



laan. 



ALL KINDS 
OF GLASSES 
MADE AND 
REPAIRED. 



34 Purchase Street, New Bedford over c. f. wing- 



s. A. Duou^Y, SHUTTLES 

MANUFACTURER OF ^^ ^ ^ ^— ^ *i ^ ^"^ 



;r> 



OF EVERY DESCRIPTION. 
Also Sole Manufacturer of Dudley's Patent Outside 
Catch Shuttles. 

TAUNTON, MASS. 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



VII 




H. M. BRETT. C. S. SIMPSON. 

Manufacturers of 

Mill slip's. 4^ Vr^/I M 4K ""'^' ''-■ 

Oils, Sal Soda, Borax, Rosin, 

Fine Ground Bone, Tallow and Grease. 

Corner North Water and Middle Streets, New Bedford, Mass, 



WALLACE B. WILSON, 

.. DEALER IN BEST QUALITY .. 
^or ^amt/y, S^/acksmilA, and Steam ^Purposes. 



ALSO ALL 

KINDS OF ^ 



OIOOD, 



IN LENGTH, OR 



CUT TO ORDER. 

OFFICE AND YARD, 

590 Hcushnet Avenue, 

FOOT OF WILLIS STREET, 

teiepnone m-iz. NEW BEDFORD, MASS. 



Has always been the place 
to Buy 

Fine * Millinery 




All the Latest Novelties of the Season constantly on hand. 
6 PURCHASE ST., NEW BEDFORD, MASS. 



This Will Remind You ^ ^ 

J^ ^ WHERE TO FIND 



Ildvertlsind 

J I Specialties. 



Calendars, Fans, Yard Sticks, ^ ^ ^ 
Rules, Sign Boards, Gummed Labels, 
And Many Novelties. v"* ^ ^ 



WHRREN P. TOBEY, 



Commercial iPrinttn^ o/ ^// j^inds. 



NEW BEDFORD, NIASS. 



L»»^; 




NEAR N. Y., N. H. & H. PASSENGER STATION. 



■^^ MEMBER OF BUIbDERS' EXCHANGE. 



L B. BAVIS. 

mider. 

no, % Pope St., new Bedford, ma$$. 



VIII 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 




PIGKliES & HORSFAIili, 



MANUFACTURERS OF 




PKASB'S 
^ rescript/on - ^ harjnacj/ 



TELEPHONE CONNECTION. 



NORTH END, 

923 ACUSHNET AVENUE, 

Cor. Cedar Grove Street. 



SOUTH END. 
913 SOUTH WATER 
Cor. Delano Streets. 



Loom Pickers 

Round Harness Straps, ''The Hacienda" "The Poissoni" 

TICKING and DUCK LUG STRAPS, 

And all kinds of LEATHER STRAPPING. 

General Mill Supplies* 

^^ THE NIGHT BELL & LOW PRICE DRUGGIST. 

64 KATHERINE ST., NEW BEDFORD, MASS. j new Bedford, mass. 

C. H. WAITE, 

Florist and Seedsman 




Wholesale and Retail 



Palms, Perns and a General Assortment of l)ecorati\ e Plants always in Stock. 
Beddinj;; Plants. Hardy Cut Perns and Moss supplied in any quantity. 
Bulbs and Poreign Grown Plants imported direct from the jjrowers. 
FlTMEU.iL .IJ\'D WE1)J)I,YG DESIGjYS a spcridit!/. 
Halls, Stores and Houses Decorated at short notice. 
POSITIVELY THE LOWEST PRICE FLORIST IN THE CITY. 
385 PURCHASE STREET, COR. CAMPBELL STREET, NEW BEDFORD, MASS Telephone Connection. 



S. S. PAINE & BRO. 

dealers in 

DRAIN PIPE 

Lime, Brick, Cement. 

MASONS' BUILDING MATERIALS IN GENERAL 

FERTILIZERS 
ZiT)^ Po ultry S upplies. 

FRONT ST., NEW BEDFORD, MASS. 

TELEPHONE, J 58-3. 



ESTABLISHED 1 



Jonathan Handy Co. 

W. N JEWETT, MANAGtK 
manufaciurcrs, Sales Hcjcnts and merchants in 



13 apd 15 CENTRE STREET 
106 and 111 NORTH FRONT ST. 

NEW BEDFORD, MASS. 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



IX 



^ ALWAYS UP TO THE TIMES 

^ WITH 

I marwlcks^ 
I ""'Cribunes 

^ FOR LEADERS. 

^- Other Wheels to Suit the Demand for 

^ ,.XOW PRICES. 

^Z /■77v'5r-r/-J.V,S- RF.rAlR SHOP. 



rr Candems and Bicycles to Cet 



S)' HOUR. DAY, WEEK OR MONTH. 



^ Roxk's Bicycle flgency, 



South Sixth Street, 



WASHINGTON SQ. 

PRED W. PAL/AER. V/A- R- HOXI 




'^<? c^z-^W dy Our Whools. " ^ 

la John fl. Wood & Go. mi 

40 to 50 UNION ST., NEW BEDFORD, MASS. 
WHOLESALE 

iProviSions anciv/feats 

SALT CODFISH. 

VINEGAR ^n^ PICKLES 

The Cndahy Packiog Co.'s Western Loins, Hams, etc. 

Armour Packing Co.'s "WHITE LABEL SOUPS." 




"^he Simwell Zehool, 

GRAMMAR and PRIMARY. 

Y. M. C. A. Building, 
COR. WILLIAM and SIXTH STREETS. NEW BEDFORD. 



THIS SCHOOL occupies a sunny, well-ventllnted room, on 
the third floor. The Teachers are all persons of experi- 
ence. 
STUDIES.— The English Branches, as taught in the Public 
Schools: Drawing, Water Coloring, Sewing, Pi.ino Instruction, 
French and Physical Culture. 

SPECIAL TEACHERS. 
/.;,v/<:/i— Mrs. R. BKEHAUT SWIFT, a naiivc of 1-iancc. 
Piano— yii%% A. H. PURRINGTON. 

Physical Cti//ure— The Phys. Director of the Y. M. C. A. 

REGULAR TEACHERS^ 

Miss M. R. HIXCKLEV, Pyincipal. Miss A. R. JOHNSON, .Usl. 



(SetsfiRi 



manufacturers of all kinds of 
BRASS - - 
BRONZE - 
TIN - 
ZINC - 

AND COMPOSITION I ^^ 

HOUSE NUMBERS AND DOOR PLAIES 

A^aKers of Yachts ao«l Boat Trirrjrnlogs. 

Pho^nhoi- r.i-on/.<- CaNliiii;- :i '>,M.i.tU\. \l iiininlllll CaBtillSH of Hll 

kiniU iiiiiili' to <>nl< I loi i:i.x.l<~ Sprocket Wheels. 

All sizi-« r.rjiKM i:.i.i-i,. 1 1 hiiHl. Krans I.i-t- 

t.iK. si/.i-s I 1 : I" I ill. h. ., N,-. to .'lOi-. 

108 No. Water St., foot of Elm, New Bedford, Mass. 

WILLIAM T. NICHOLSON. MANAGER. 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 




F. A. BONNEAU. 

CARRIAGE SMITHING 

AND BUILDING. 

' bing promptly attended 

Special attention given 

Ladies' and Gentle- 

fs Driving Horses, 

id Road Horses. 

variety of Shoes on 

nd to rectify the gait 

d restore the Foot to 

natural shape. Over- 

hing and interfering, 

pecialty. The great 

pean Hoof Ointment 

prepared li y F. A. 

Bonneau. 

If you Want 

The earth you will be 
disappointed, but if you 
want your horses shod 
to peifection call at 
A. BONNEAU'S 



nHNET AVENUt, 




Weston C. Vaughan Jr. 

Undertaker 

OFFICE: 

321 Purchase Street, 

NEW BEDFORD, MASS 



RESIDENCE OVER WAREROOMS. 



KIcphoiie Connections Day and 
Night, 201-7. 



I. H. SHURTLEFF, 



^ 



u^harmaci'st. 



We make a Specialty of... 

J ht/sicians ' ^Prescriptions, 

And the Dispensing of... 

TT/eciicines for J'ami/i/ 9/se. 

COR. FOURTH AND GRINNELL STREETS, 
NEW BEDFORD, MASS 



GEORGE A. PHILLIPS, 

. . DEALER IN . . 
LADIES,' C.ENTS' AND CHILDHENS' 

J^i'ne uJoots and Shoes 

y\/\/\/\\/\//\ At the Old Established 
/. -j^ Stand, 

i ^'!!l!'!!'' < 692 PURCBASE STREET, 

mjmmmmmmwm.y\ new Bedford, mass. 



Repairing IVeatly Executed. 



H. T, BORDEN, 

DEALER ^N 

uJoOdi Sranuiar ^itei 

^^ . . and. . 

(2©(ar#^ Cec^ariPosts 

OFFICE AND YARD, 

62 Dartmouth Street, Opp. School House, 

NBW BEDFORD. MASS. 

Telephone, 366-3. 



Antiqued 

Furniture, 

OLD COLONIAL 
CHINAv^e 

SHEFFIELD PLATE. 



ALBERT C. KIRBY. 



KIRBY & HICKS, 




Rack. 



Ctccrv 



STABLE 

Boarding "^ ...$aic 

DEALERS IN ALL KINDS 



CARRIAGES. 

TELEPHONE CALL. IZB-Z. 



60 and 62 Elm St., New Bedford, Mass. 



Many Curious and Beautiful 
Old Articles that appeal to 
Persons of Taste. .•».■*.*.*.•* 

( WEDDING PRESENTS, 
Suitable for KEEPSAKES, 

( Or REMEMBRANCES. 

H. E. HICKS, 

38 North Water St. .* New Bedford, Mass. 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



XI 



A. H. HomiiAND 

Acrzvted 
W2y.ter5 



ALES, PORTERS, 
LAGER BEERS 



AND ALL KINDS OF 



WINES AN 
LIQUORS. 



PAVOXIA LAGER. 

159 ACUSHNET AVENUE 

KEW BEDFORD, MASS 
Telephone 355-5- 





JANIES K. REED 



PORTRAITS— All Styles and Sizes of Fine Photos Finished in 
Colors, Pastels, Crayon, India Ink and Oil. Instan- 
taneous Process. Cloudy Weather No Objection. 

5 PURCHASE STREET, NEW BEDFORD, MASS. 



THE BOSTON 
ENGRAVING CO., 

50 HARTFORD 

and 113 PURCHASE STS., 

BOSTON MASS. 

Sllustrators 
and On^rauers, 

Makers of 

First-Class 

Half-Tone and Relief 

Line Cuts* 

THE CUTS USED IN THIS ISSUE ARE MADE 
BY THE ABOVE COMPANY, 



XII 



New Bedford Semi-Centennial Souvenir. 



PROVIDENCE BELTING COMPANY 



A^A.lSn:jF^^GTXJR.ER,S OF 



Pure Oak -Tanned Leather Belting 

AND 

Folded Twist Round Belting. 




Our HIGH-GRADE LEATHER for Covering Worsted Rolls 
is considered by all to be the BEST manufactured. 

Office and Works: 37-39 CHARLES STREET, 

PROVIDENCE, R. I. 



New Bedford Semi-Ccntennial Souvenir. 



THE 



JOURNAL OF COMMERCE CO. 



(INCORPORATED) 



PROVIDENCE, R. I. 



Printers ^ Publishers 

of this SOUVENIR BOOK. 



IF you want a Catalogue or Book of any kind printed with 
' the same care and elegance as is shown in these pages, 
give your order to this Company and you will procure the 
same results. Send for Estimates. We are the most exten- 
sive printers of Illustrated Books in Southern New England. 



